


Third time’s a charm

by 99zzu



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff and Angst, M/M, maknae line are all the same age btw, no smut but maybe something close to that idk, seongwu and daniel are one year older heh, this will be 3 or 4 chapters idk yet lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-02-04 07:55:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 36,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12766509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/99zzu/pseuds/99zzu
Summary: Park Jihoon and Park Woojin weren’t meant to be. The universe was always against them and Jihoon knew that better than anyone. But it doesn’t hurt to try, right?(au where jihoon remembers his previous lives and woojin is in both of them)





	1. Chapter 1

Some may say Park Jihoon is lucky. They may say he’s lucky for being given more than one chance to live, one more chance to make his life perfect. But to Jihoon, it’s a curse. A damn curse that he did not ask for. Yes, he may be lucky for remembering his previous lives and getting a chance to make his new life better than the last one. And to be honest, Jihoon would think it as a blessing. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t, because of Woojin.

 

 

His first life was the toughest for Jihoon. Not only because he lived as a guard to the king family, but because the King’s son happened to be the root to all of his problems. The first time he had met the little prince (or the tiny satan like Jihoon liked to call him) was when he was barely sixteen years old and his mom who worked as the king’s court lady managed to get her son a job as one of the guards.

 

”But can’t I just be a salesman like dad used to?” he had whined as his mom helped him get dressed to his armor.

 

”Being a guard at the palace is a honorable job, my son. It took me years to get you this job, so please don’t disappoint me.” his mother said with a worried expression. Jihoon glanced at his mother and sighed as he gave her a warm smile. She was right, he thought. His mother had worked so hard her whole life to raise him and earn money so they could eat. Now was his time to be a good son and earn money so his mother could hopefully retire and live a comfortable life. How hard can being a guard be anyways?

 

And to be honest, it wouldn’t have been that hard. Not if Woojin hadn’t been the evil prince he was.

 

”You’re new.” Woojin had said on Jihoon’s second day, grinning at him and eyeing him up and down.

 

”Yes, your majesty. I started here a day ago.” Jihoon said and bowed to the prince, who started laughing.

 

”Ah I see.” Woojin said as he walked away with his servants. _The prince seems kind,_ Jihoon had thought. But oh god, he was so wrong.

 

During the next months Woojin made sure that Jihoon’s life would be absolute hell. He would never fail to make Jihoon look like an idiot and like he was not suitable for the job.

 

One time, when Jihoon walked outside, guarding the palace, the prince thought it would be fun to make him fall.

 

”Be careful kid. My dad doesn’t like clumsy guards.” he had said with a smug smile as he walked past Jihoon, who was now laying on the ground. Jihoon fastly got up, but still got disappointed glares from the other guards around him. " _Be careful kid"_.  Jihoon almost laughed at the comment, because last time he checked, the prince was the same age as Jihoon. _Who is he to call me kid, Jihoon had thought_ , but then he remembered. He was the prince. Of course he had every right to call Jihoon whatever he wanted. He had every right to be mean to him. And Jihoon hated that. _Fuck this. Fuck the society. Fuck my life,_ Jihoon repeated in his mind as he glanced at the prince who had turned around to laugh at Jihoon one more time.

 

Jihoon had spent the first three years of his career hating the prince. He could even recognize when the prince was near by the sound of his steps. _You know you could kill him easily with the sword you have_ , a small voice in Jihoon’s head said. But that would be treason and would end with Jihoon getting executed. But to be honest being executed didn’t sound too bad. Especially when Woojin humiliated him in front of the king and his own mother, and all Jihoon wanted during those moments was to disappear.

 

”I deeply apologize, your majesty. This will not happen ever again, your majesty.” Jihoon begged on his knees in front of the king, because Woojin had thought it would be hilarious to put bugs inside Jihoon’s armor when the armor was being cleaned. And Jihoon happened to be guarding the royal family as another highly respected family was visiting, and suddenly all Jihoon could feel was a tingling sensation everywhere. He tried his best to not move. He really did. But one of the bugs stung him and Jihoon couldn’t hold it in anymore and left out a loud yelp, which had frightened everyone. Well everyone except one. Woojin. He was of course trying his best not to laugh out loud when he watched Jihoon squirm in pain while the bugs tickled and bit him inside his armor.

 

Luckily the king was on a good mood that day, and didn’t fire Jihoon. His mother was not to nice in the other hand, and Jihoon received a ”well-earned” beating from his mother at home. _Fuck this. Fuck my life. Fuck the prince._

 

After that Jihoon tried his best to avoid the prince in every way he could. Everytime he thought the prince was near he would turn around, hide or walk fastly to another direction. And Jihoon had to admit he was pretty good at avoiding the evil prince.

 

Well, until his 18th birthday.

 

”The prince needs a guard outside his door.” one of the prince’s palace women had said to the guards.

 

”Which one of you is the court lady’s son?” the young woman had asked soon after and Jihoon never wanted to die more than he wanted at that moment. He raised his hand and with a loud sigh he followed the young woman to the prince’s bedroom.

 

”The prince is sleeping, so don’t make any noise.” the woman said to (now very stressed) Jihoon before walking away. _Thank god _,__ Jihoon thought when he heard about the prince sleeping. _ __He can’t be an asshole while sleeping, right?___ But luck was never on Jihoon’s side of course. Because only three minutes later he heard the door to prince’s room open behind him.

 

”Get in.” he heard the familiar voice say as he turned around and faced the prince, who wasn’t dressed in his daily attire. But was wearing a white hanbok and his hair was messy. And Jihoon couldn’t deny the fact that the young prince looked cute. He looked different. He didn’t look like a mean prince, and Jihoon liked that version of Woojin.

 

”Stop goggling me and get inside, you fool.” Woojin said as he grabbed on Jihoon’s armor and pulled him inside his room.

 

_Never mind I still hate him,_ Jihoon thought.

 

”But I’m not allowed to be inside your majesty’s room.” Jihoon tried to object but the prince already closed the door behind him.

 

”Are you disobeying my orders?” the taller one asked with a smug smile and crossed his arms.

 

”O-of course not, your majesty.” Jihoon muttered out and lowered his head slightly.

 

”Good boy.” Woojin said with his mischievous smug before taking a step towards Jihoon and Jihoon was sure this was the last night alive, because if anyone found out he was in the prince’s room, he would be dead. As a matter or fact, he wasn’t even supposed to be talking with the prince. And they definitely shouldn’t be standing this close to each other. But it didn’t seem like Woojin cared about any of that.

 

”Take off your helmet.” Jihoon heard the other one say and nearly choked on his spit.

 

”B-but y-your majesty. I’m not allowed to take off my helmet inside the palace.” Jihoon managed to say but Woojin dared to laugh.

 

”Disobeying my orders again, aren’t we?” the prince smirked and grabbed Jihoon’s helmet with his right hand. This fucker is really trying to get me executed, Jihoon said in his head as the taller one took off his helmet. Jihoon lowered his head and faced the floor which he realized was a total waste of time, as Jihoon felt a hand on his chin. Woojin lifted his face and Jihoon was now facing the prince. The king’s son. The 4th one to the throne.

 

 

_I’m so fucked._

 

”Huh.” the prince breathed out and smirked, ”you’re pretty”.  
Jihoon’s eyes widened in confusion. Did the prince just call him, pretty? Well, Jihoon knew he was an alright looking guy, but hearing a thing like that coming from the prince’s mouth was weird and Jihoon was not sure how he was supposed to feel.

 

”N-no, your majesty, I mean t-thank you, I mean-” Jihoon kept murmuring which only made the prince laugh. Jihoon looked up at the now laughing prince and noticed his snaggletooth which was now peeking. The prince had a nice face, Jihoon admitted to himself. He usually had a scary gaze but that gaze nowhere to be seen. He looked warm and his laugh was rather adorable. Not to mention his soft looking cheeks and his tiny cute nose.

 

_Yup. I’m absolutely fucked._

 

”Have you never received a compliment before?” Woojin asked as he eyed Jihoon’s face, while still smiling.

 

”Why would a peasantry like me get compliments, your majesty.”

 

”What does your status have to do with the amount of compliments you get?” Woojin sounded amused but also confused, as if he had forgotten what kind of society they live in.

 

”If your majesty hasn’t forgotten, status means everything in our society.” Jihoon said as calmly as he could and as respectfully as he could. And with that sentence, the prince let go of Jihoon’s chin and handed him his helmet. His smile was now gone and he looked almost sad. Or angry. Jihoon wasn’t sure.

 

”I guess you’re right, pretty boy.” Woojin breathed out as he gave Jihoon one more look before walking towards his bed. Jihoon cringed at the nickname and put on his helmet before opening the door so he could stand outside (where he actually was supposed to stand).

 

”Don’t let me get killed while I sleep, pretty boy.” was the last thing Jihoon heard before he closed the door to the prince’s room. Maybe the prince wasn’t so bad after all.

 

Jihoon getting called to guard the prince’s room became a weekly thing before Jihoon could realize it. On the same day every week, the palace woman came to inform Jihoon he needed to guard the prince. And Jihoon would get dragged into the prince’s room every single time. He wasn’t sure what the prince wanted from him. Sometimes the prince would just talk about his day or make up new cringy nicknames for Jihoon, which were all horrible. Kinda cute, but horrible. But it took maybe three weeks before the prince asked Jihoon’s name.

 

”So, pretty boy. As much as I enjoy seeing you get flustered because of the nicknames, I’m actually very curious to hear your real name.” Woojin said as he was writing something on his desk. Jihoon, sitting on the other side of the table in front of him just like the prince had asked him, raised his gaze in fear.

 

”Your majesty, I’m not allowed to tell my real name.” Jihoon said just like he was trained to but Woojin didn’t seem too happy about his answer.

 

”Wow, you really like talking back to me, don’t you?” he had said as he looked at Jihoon with a serious expression which Jihoon called the scary _”I’m the fucking prince how dare you”_ look.

 

”I’m just obeying the laws, your majesty” Jihoon said even though he knew it was ridiculous to even try to obey the laws at this point. He had broken so many rules he was sure he would get executed any moment. Because one, he was inside the prince’s room. Two, he wasn’t wearing his helmet. Three, he was having conversations with the prince, and now he was about to tell him his name.

 

”Well how would you feel if I decided that laws don’t apply in my room? Would you tell me your name then?” the Woojin said as he gave Jihoon a warm smile. And his smile. That was one of the things Jihoon learned to hate about the prince. Not because it was creepy or ugly. But because he looked different. He looked like a regular boy and Jihoon hated that. He hated how sometimes Woojin would look so regular that Jihoon had to actually remind himself that he was not a regular boy, but the king’s son. And the king’s son is everything but regular. He also hated how during the past weeks the prince had changed completely. The once awful prince had suddenly became friendly and Jihoon hated how confused it would make him feel.

 

”Your name. Now.” he heard Woojin say which made him wake up from his thoughts.

 

_One day, one day I’m going to die and it’s going to all your fault,_ Jihoon thought as he looked at the prince before taking a deep breath.

 

”Jihoon. It’s Jihoon, your majesty.”

 

 

The prince smiled.

 

”So I was right. Your name is as pretty as your face.” Woojin had said with a smirk and turned his attention back to the paper he was writing on. At this point, Jihoon didn’t even know how to react anymore. The prince always had something cringy and flirty to say and Jihoon was sick of it to be honest. He didn’t know what the prince was trying to accomplish. Maybe all this is just a stupid game and one day he is just going to get Jihoon fired and executed. Because knowing the prince’s ”old” personality, it was a very likely scenario.

 

 

 

”Jihoon. I have a task for you.” Woojin had said a few weeks later as they were both sitting around his table again.

 

”I want to go to the light festival tomorrow, but my dad is an asshole and won’t let me go. So I’m going to go there in regular clothes so I won’t get recognized but I need you to come with me, for protection of course, and in case I get recognized.” he continued explaining to Jihoon with a hopeful expression.

 

_He’s out of his mind,_  Jihoon thought.

 

Not only is this extremely risky and dangerous, but if they get caught they will both get in lots of trouble. Well, Woojin will probably get yelled at, but Jihoon will definitely get executed.

 

”Your majesty I ca-”

 

”What did I tell you Jihoon. Laws don’t apply inside this room. Just call me Woojin.” Woojin cut him off and gave Jihoon an annoyed glare.

 

Yet another thing that Jihoon hated about the prince. The prince had told Jihoon to call him by his real name, which was so wrong. Jihoon really tried his best not to call the prince Woojin, but the prince was rather demanding, so to speak.

 

”W-woojin, I can’t do that. It’s too risky for both of us.” Jihoon tried to explain but deep inside he knew that Woojin wouldn’t care. If Woojin wanted something to happen, he would make it happen. No matter what.

 

Woojin crossed his arms and let out an annoyed groan and Jihoon was sure his list about _”the things I hate about Woojin”_ was getting longer. He looked like a damn whiny kid and Jihoon hated it.

 

”Well, as I am higher rank than you, you can’t say no. So make sure you are outside the palace gates as soon as the sun has set.” Woojin said with his ”prince-voice” and gave Jihoon a smirk.

 

”And obviously don’t wear your armor.” he continued as he walked towards his bed, as a sign that their conversation was over.

 

 

It was official. Jihoon was getting executed soon and it was because Woojin.

 

 

The next day, Jihoon was standing outside the gates just like Woojin had told him to. He was wearing his nicest hanbok and had his hair up in a bun. And overall, Jihoon thought he looked quite nice. Not as nice as the prince would look, but nice enough.

 

After what felt like an eternity, he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. As he turned around, his gaze met a familiar figure. But now less formal. He had regular looking clothes and his hair was in a bun just like Jihoon’s. He was smiling and looked excited like a little kid.

 

_That’s cute,_ Jihoon had thought.

 

”Shall we go, your ma-” Jihoon was about to say but was silenced by Woojin’s hand in front of his mouth.

 

”Do you want to get us both killed?” Woojin asked as he eyed around them, making sure no one heard Jihoon.

 

”I forgot, I apologize.” Jihoon said when Woojin finally took his hand off.

 

”And could you talk less formally. Aren’t you older than me anyway?” the taller one said as they started walking towards the town.

 

”H-how do you know that?”

 

”I have connections.” Woojin said with a wink and Jihoon felt a sting in his stomach. He didn’t know if the sting was a good or a bad thing. He wasn’t sure.

 

”You seem to have a lot of interest in me, your maj- I mean Woojin.”

 

”Well you are an interesting person, Jihoon.”

 

”I disagree.”

 

 

As much as Jihoon hates to admit it, Woojin was actually kinda fun to be around. Jihoon learned that their sense of humor was very familiar and that Woojin was very good at making jokes. The festival itself wasn’t too exciting, but Woojin made it fun. They ate lots of street food and played with fireworks. Surprisingly, no one recognized the young prince without his formal attire and they managed to have a good time without any worries. _Maybe life isn’t that bad after all,_ Jihoon thought.

 

 

It was maybe 11pm when they decided to leave the festival and headed towards Woojin’s ”hide-out”.

 

”This is where I came as a kid when the whole prince thing felt tiring.” Woojin explained to Jihoon as they sat down beside a tree, near the river.

 

Jihoon didn’t recognize the place. It was maybe thirty minutes away from the town and only thing Jihoon could hear was the water and the sound of the grasshoppers and the silence between the two boys was surprisingly not uncomfortable. Not for Jihoon at least.

 

”Thanks for today.” Woojin broke the silence after few minutes and gave Jihoon a shy smile.

 

”It’s not like I had a choice.” Jihoon said with a laugh and eyed Woojin who didn’t seem too overjoyed about Jihoon’s comment.

 

”Well even if I had a chance I would have come.” Jihoon tried to explain but his sentence probably came out like a muttering mess.

 

Woojin laughed though.

 

”Thanks Jihoon. You’re nice. Very nice.” Woojin said with a smile and Jihoon just eyed him with wide eyes. He could feel warmness on his cheeks but he didn’t know why.

 

”I, uhh, thank you, you’re nice, umm, you’re nice too.” Jihoon managed to say out after what felt like forever. He hated how flustered he sounded and how Woojin laughed loudly at his reaction.

 

"You’re blushing. How cute.”

 

"I Am not!”

 

”What’s this then?” Woojin poked Jihoon’s red cheeks and laughed at the boy’s panicked expression.

 

”I-I’m just flustered. You used to be so mean and now suddenly you are nice to me and I’m taken aback I guess?”

 

”Oh yeah. Sorry about that. I just wanted to get your attention.” Woojin said with an apologetic expression as he laid on the grass.

 

”That was your way of getting my attention? Making me look like a fool, putting bugs in my armor? Making me look like I’m not suited for my job?”

 

”Well it worked, didn’t it?” Woojin smirked and Jihoon swore he would hit him if he wouldn’t stop smirking like that.

 

”Being nice works better for me.” Jihoon said with a laugh as he looked at the other one who laughed with him.

 

”I have noticed that, pretty boy.”

 

”And can you please stop using that nickname.” Jihoon pleaded as he laid beside Woojin on the grass.

 

”Why? Does it bother you?” Woojin smirked for the 100th time that night.

 

”Very much so.”

 

”I like it though. It suits you.” the younger one said quietly this time and gave Jihoon’s cheek a little stroke with his thumb.

 

Jihoon blushed again.

 

”You’re going to be the death of me.” Jihoon whispered and Woojin laughed.

 

”Would that be so bad?” Woojin asked, still giving Jihoon’s cheek gentle strokes with his hand, his eyes on Jihoon’s plump lips.

 

”No.” Jihoon breathed out quietly and before he knew it, Woojin’s lips were already on his, and Jihoon realized he had been lying to himself all this time. Because if he really did hate Woojin like he liked to tell himself, he wouldn’t have kissed the prince back. But he did.

 

 

 

But unfortunately, Jihoon was right. Woojin did become the death of him. Literally.

 

Jihoon’s life ended when he was only 20 years old. He was just doing his job. He was just protecting the royal family. He was protecting Woojin to be exact. There were too many soldiers attacking the palace and Jihoon wasn’t trained enough. But maybe it was better this way. He and Woojin weren’t meant to be anyway. Not in that kind of society. Jihoon did feel blessed thought. He felt thankful that he got feel love and that he was blessed enough that the king’s son loved him back. He would have preferred if their story hadn’t ended like it did. But at least he didn’t have to see the love of his life die in front of him, because he was killed first. He didn’t know what happened to Woojin after he fell on the floor on his last day, with a deep wound on his chest. And maybe that was for the better. Maybe this all was for the better. But then again, Woojin’s life probably ended too that day. And it was all because Jihoon couldn’t protect him. He felt guilty. He felt sad. And as he was dying he prayed that next time he wouldn’t do the same mistake.

 

 

 

During his second life, Jihoon found out he was not like everyone else. He could remember it all. His birth. His childhood. Woojin. And his death. It was hard to accept it, but he had no other choice. He just had to make sure he wouldn’t do the same mistakes as he did in his previous life.

 

But it was as if the universe was making fun of him. Because once again Jihoon was at a battle field, not as a guard though but as a war soldier. Luckily his childhood was not full of suffering in a poor lifestyle like his first one. But when he turned 21 and the korean war broke out and his father told him to protect his country, and Jihoon knew his life wouldn’t end up happily this time either like he had hoped. But luckily this time he didn’t have a loved one to feel sorry for when he would pass away. He didn’t have Woojin. He hadn’t found his true love this time. 

 

 

 

”Okay kids, pick your bunk beds and be ready in 20.” the sergeant said with his powerful voice and the whole room filled with shouts of ”yes sir”. Jihoon eyed the room and saw a bunk bed at the back of the room still empty. He walked over to it and was just about to start climbing on the top bunk but Jihoon felt a slight tap on his shoulder. What he saw when he turned around was something he had not expected.

 

”Um, is the top bunk taken?” a familiar voice asked as Jihoon turned around and he was greeted by the snaggletooth that he was way too familiar with. Jihoon wasn't sure how this was possible. Hell. He wasn't even sure was he dreaming right now or not. But most importantly, he didn't know if Woojin remembered him.

 

”Hello? You okay there buddy?” Woojin laughed slightly and Jihoon woke up from his thoughts.

 

”Uh oh no, it’s not taken. The bunk bed is all yours.” Jihoon managed to say before stepping out of the way so Woojin could climb on the top bunk. Woojin flashed him a warm smile before mouthing ’thank you’ and climbing up to put his bag on the bed. Jihoon decided to stay on the bunk below him. Which turned out to be a not very smart move, because Woojin turned out to be a much more friendly in his second life.

 

”I’m Woojin by the way. Park Woojin.” Jihoon heard the taller one say behind him after a couple of minutes and Jihoon turned around to take a closer look at the taller one. _Dammit he’s still taller than me_ , Jihoon cursed in his thoughts as he shook Woojin’s warm hand.

 

”Hi I’m Jihoon. Park Jihoon.” 

 

Woojin’s smile grew wider and Jihoon noticed the other’s unusual cheery vibe. The prince Woojin was only this cheery around Jihoon and Jihoon felt the small feeling of hope in his chest. Maybe Woojin remembered him. Maybe this was their second chance. Maybe they could end up living a long happy life this time. But Jihoon was foolish. They were at war. Even if Woojin did remember him, their lives would end just like the last one. On the battlefield while protecting each other.

 

”Hey we are both Parks! That’s cool! Hope we can become close soon!” Woojin said with a really cheerful tone and the small feeling of hope in Jihoon’s chest faded away. 

 

”You sound way too happy considering the fact that there’s a war out there.” Jihoon said to the baffled Woojin who flashed him his smile again.

 

”Well should I be sad all the time then? I figured it would be nice if atleast one of us could be like a energy booster you know? Keep the mood up.” the taller one explained and Jihoon realized that the _"new Woojin"_ was just as great as the prince one.

 

It didn’t take long for Jihoon to fall for Woojin once again. He tried not to. He really did. But how could he not fall for someone who constantly made everyone feel comfortable and cheered him up when he was upset or when he missed his family. And how could he not fall for him because he had once already loved him and it was still Woojin. A slightly happier and dorkier Woojin, but it was still him. He still had the same sense of humour and his jokes always cracked Jihoon up. And he still had the bossy prince attitude in him. But this time around the bossiness was not intimitading. It was rather adorable.

”You’re cute.” Jihoon had blurted out by accident when Woojin tried to make Jihoon give him a snack Woojin apparently ”deserved”.

 

”And you are a dick. Now give me my snack.” Woojin said with his bossy voice but it came out more as like a childish whine. Jihoon laughed weakly and gave the younger one the snack, which he realized was an amazing idea. Because Woojin was now smiling that beautiful smile which Jihoon loved so much. Especially the little snaggletooth that was peaking out. But Jihoon wondered if it would have been better if he hadn’t fallen for Woojin again. Maybe life would have been easier. Perhaps it would have been easier to sleep without thinking about the other boy on the top bunk. Or maybe it would have been easier to watch Woojin get yelled at by the sergeant if he didn’t want to drown Woojin in his arms and tell him it was alright. And maybe it would have been easier to hear Woojin talk about other people without getting jealous.

 

”Who are you going to miss the most when you die?” Woojin had asked him one night when they were in a forest, waiting for rest of their group.

 

”Why are you suddenly asking that?”

 

”I just don’t believe I’m going to make it back home.” Woojin said while eating some blueberries he had found earlier. 

 

”Where’s the always happy Park Woojin now?” Jihoon said with a laugh and felt relieved when he saw Woojin’s mouth turn into a smile.

 

”I’m still here! I’m just being realistic.” And Woojin was right. Jihoon didn’t think any of them were going to make it back alive. He was just surprised to hear that coming from Woojin’s mouth.

 

”Well I suppose I’ll miss my family. Maybe our cat Mickey, but I’m not sure yet since the cat is a total asshole.” Jihoon said which made Woojin laugh louder. And of course Jihoon wanted to say he’ll miss Woojin, but he held back for obvious reasons.

 

”I’ll miss my family too and friends back at home. And Jihye.” Woojin said after a while and put his hand inside his jacket and handing Jihoon a picture.

 

”That’s Jihye. We’ve been friends since we were kids. She’s my first love.” Woojin explained and Jihoon felt his heart sink. Of course he was in love with someone else. He didn’t remember his previous life like Jihoon did. But hearing Woojin call someone else his first love hurt, and Jihoon couldn’t help it.

 

”She’s pretty.” was all Jihoon said before handing the picture back to Woojin. 

 

”She doesn’t know my feelings though. I wanted to tell her before all of this but, we had a big fight when she heard I’m going to the war and-” Woojin’s voice cracked and Jihoon saw tears coming from his eyes and all Jihoon wanted to do was put his arms around him and kiss away all the sadness from Woojin, but he didn’t do any of that. For obvious reasons.

 

”Oh shit sorry, I didn’t mean to cry.” Woojin apologized minutes later while wiping his tears on his sleeves and flashing a shy smile to Jihoon.

 

”I guess I’m just sad I didn’t end up with the love of my life.” Woojin continued after calming down and Jihoon felt another sting in his heart. 

 

_”But I’m here. I’m right here and I love you”_ was all Jihoon wanted to shout out but he knew he couldn’t.

 

”You have many people that love you, Woojin. And Jihye loves you too, I’m sure of it.” Jihoon said instead and his attempt of making Woojin cheer up seemed to work, because Woojin was smiling again.

 

”Thanks, Jihoon. You’re a great friend.” Woojin said and Jihoon smiled. The word ’friend’ hurt, but that was all Jihoon was to Woojin in his second life. And that was enough for him.

 

 

 

As they all had predicted, they didn’t last another day on the battle field. The enemies attacked them in the morning and there were way too many of them. Jihoon was not blessed enough to die before Woojin this time and had the see the love of his life dying next to him. And that’s when Jihoon decided he didn’t want to be hurt anymore. As much as loving Woojin made him feel alive, it always seemed to end badly and he was sick of it. He didn’t deserve it. They didn’t deserve it. Maybe it was Jihoon’s fault that Woojin’s life ended shortly both times. 

 

 

 

 

Maybe they weren’t meant to be.

 

 

 

 

During his third life he learned that this _curse_ he had was not a one time thing. Unfortunately. But he did notice how maybe all the dying at a young age and being heartbroken during his previous lives had made destiny give Jihoon a break for once. Because his third life was quite nice. He had lots of amazing people around him. His parents were loving and his childhood was filled with happiness. Even the society was way better than it was during his previous lives and Jihoon loved it. Maybe this time. Maybe this time my life wont be a sad tragedy and I’ll get my happiness, Jihoon thought. And it really did seem like it. He did great in school, he had a family and friends that cared for him. And the day he graduated high school and managed to get into a good university, he was sure this was it.

But he would lie if he would say nothing wasn’t missing from his perfect happy life. Because something was missing. Well, not something, but _someone_. But maybe it would be better this way. Maybe this way none one would get hurt. But Jihoon couldn’t help but think about Woojin. How was he doing. Was he even alive in this time and this place. But he wished that wherever he was, he would be as happy as him.

 

 

 

But overall, Jihoon’s life was finally the way he wanted it to be. Especially during one particular day when Jihoon was heading to class with light steps, wearing his new yellow striped knitted sweater that he had got from the mall the other day. _”Stop buying yellow clothes”_ his roommate Jinyoung had said, but Jihoon was too happy to care. He looked and felt amazing.

”Well someone is having a good day.” Jihoon heard his friend, Daehwi say next to him as he sat down in the classroom and took his laptop.

”Oh yes I am thank you for noticing.” Jihoon said with a smile which made the other one laugh.

”New sweater?” 

”Yup!” Jihoon said while showing off his new pride and joy, the yellow sweater.

”Looks similar. I’m sure i’ve seen it somewhere.” Daehwi says quietly and before Jihoon can ask him about it they both turn their head towards the front of the classroom when they hear their teacher talking.

Jihoon didn't focus in class that day. His good mood disappeared quickly when he thought about the upcoming weekend and all the essays and theater reviews he had to write. He liked being a theater major, he really did. But all the reviews and essays made him want to literally strangle himself. Especially when lately he hadn't had a good night's sleep, thanks to the familiar boy who came into his dreams every now and then. That brat managed to be in his life even without actually being in his life. But Jihoon would be lying if he said he didn't miss the other one sometimes. Because just maybe sometimes it would have been nice to have someone he already knew in his life. Remembering his previous lives was surprisingly lonely and maybe sometimes seeing someone he already was used to seeing would have brought him a feeling of safety. But on the other hand, Jihoon's life was pretty great this time. Even without the boy with the snaggletooth.

 

 

As he had predicted, Jihoon was burried in school work after classes. Who knew theater major would be this tiring? The semester had only started and Jihoon's will to live was already at the minimum. But maybe school work was better than guarding the palace or fighting at war. Jihoon felt the chills on his back as he thought back to his previous lives. _Yup. Much better._

 

"I brought my new roommate with me for our movie night I hope you guys don't mind! " Daehwi yelled as he opened the door to Jinyoung's and Jihoon's dorm room later that night. Jihoon only slightly looked at Daehwi's direction before closing his laptop and cracking his fingers that were aching from all the writing. Great. Jihoon was tired as is and now he had to socialize.

 

"Well where is he?" Jihoon raised a brow to Daehwi who came alone before making his way into the tiny kitchen to get some water (and hopefully find some beer in the fridge because he was way too tired to watch a movie let along socialize with Daehwi's new roommate). 

 

Daehwi opened his mouth to answer but stopped as they all heard a loud knock on the door.

 

"That's him! Let him in Jihoon." Daehwi said with his usual cheery tone and flopped on the small couch next to Jinyoung who was just waking up from his nap. Jihoon closed the fridge (disappointed when he realized there was no beer) and walked lazily to open the door to the stranger. 

 

But to his horror, the boy that was standing behind the door was the opposite of a stranger.

 

"Um hi?" the boy on the other side of the door said shyly and Jihoon wanted the floor to swallow him right there and then and never come back. Woojin was standing right there. Right in front of him.

 

Jihoon's instincts acted before he could think and only seconds later he shut the door right in front of the other one's face.

 

_Yeah that's it for the happy and wonderful life I was having...._

 

"Jihoon what the fuck!" Jihoon heard Daehwi's distant voice yell but he just stood there and it took minutes for Jihoon to realize Daehwi's presece next to him and the boy who he was letting in.

 

"Oh my god, ignore him he is weird today." Daehwi glared at Jihoon who was still, just standing there with an empty expression.

 

_This was not happening. This was NOT happening_.

 

Except that it was, and Jihoon needed an excuse to avoid watching the movie and he needed one fast.

 

"I'm not watching the movie."

 

_Yeah. That'll do._

 

"Jihoon what the fuck is your problem." he heard his friends question but Jihoon didn't answer. Woojin was again in his life and Jihoon didn't want to say anything. His head was filled with way too many thoughts and all the flashbacks from his previous lives were spinning in his mind.

 

_Fuck this._

 

"I'm sleepy, goodnight." Jihoon said with a speed of a light as he flopped his bed, his head towards the wall. He didn't even care what the  _"new Woojin"_ was thinking about him right now. Well obviously he didn't give a good first impression with slamming a door on his face. But maybe it was better that Woojin would end up disliking him and that way Jihoon wouldn't have to see him that often.

 

And that’s how he came up with a plan. He just had to make Woojin dislike him so much that he wouldn’t want to see him and that way they both could have a happy ending, without any broken hearts or sad tragic deaths.

 

_Truly a great plan!_

 

 

 

Or was it?


	2. Chapter 2

 

"FUCK!" Jihoon hears a loud yelp from behind him and he flinches awake.

  

"Shit, sorry I woke you up." he hears the familiar voice say and there he is.

 

 _Park Woojin._ Sitting in his kitchen. Playing some stupid game on his phone. 

 

"Where are my friends and what did you do to them?" Jihoon questions while standing up from his bed, his eyes looking everywhere else but Woojin.

 

"They went to get ramen." the other says with a laugh. _He still had the same laugh,_ Jihoon notices.

 

"I didn't murder them if that's what you thought."

 

"For all I know that's exactly what you did. I don't know you." Jihoon lies while walking over to the kitchen to get himself some water (and maybe to get a closer look at the _"new Woojin"_ ).

 

"You're weird." Woojin finally lifts his face from the game to look at Jihoon who was still avoiding his gaze.

 

"Says the one who's playing a shitty phone game in someone else's dorm room." 

 

"Aren't you the one that slammed a door in my face though?" Woojin smirks shyly and Jihoon finally finds the courage to glance at him. He looked different. His face was still handsome as always, but his hair was ash brown and fluffy. He looks nice, Jihoon thought to himself before slapping himself mentally because _what the fuck Park Jihoon._  But he can't take his gaze off of the other one and he notices how his skin was more tan this time too. And he was more muscular. And Jihoon needed to stop himself before it was too late. 

 

"And now you are staring way too long." Woojin breathes out with a another smirk before turning his consentration back to the game.

 

"I wasn't staring." 

 

"Yeah sure." the other teases in a way that was way too familiar for Jihoon.

 

 _He's also a brat_ , Jihoon notes.

 

Jihoon grabs his phone from his backpocket to text Daehwi to buy him some beer and for them to hurry the fuck up, because Jihoon really didn't want to be alone with Woojin right now. Not when he was having all the flashbacks spinning in his head so much that he was sure he was about to go crazy.

 

"So do you always slam doors in front of strangers." Jihoon nearly flinches at the sudden question he hears from behind him and the evil-like laughter that comes after it.

 

"No. Just the ones that seem too boring to let in." 

 

"I am not boring."

 

"I truly doubt that." Jihoon's attempt of sounding indifferent and mean was going great and Jihoon nearly praises himself out loud before filling his glass with more water because his throat was strangely dry.

 

"You're so weird." Woojin repeats with a laugh before putting down his phone and walking over to the fridge.

 

"And you're stealing our food." 

 

"Daehwi said it's fine." Jihoon laughs in disbelief at the taller one because Daehwi doesn't even live there who is he to say that?

 

"We are home!" Daehwi's cheery voice can be heard in the dorm a while later as he steps in with Jinyoung and their grocery bags. Jihoon gulped down his fourth glass of water before making his way over to Jinyoung to grab his beer, which he gulps down as fast as he could.

 

"Well someone's thirsty." Jinyoung laughs and Jihoon almost choked on his beer because of the comment.

 

"Shut up, tiny head." he decides to say before making his way back to his bed, not caring about the ramen nor what his friends and Woojin were thinking or saying. He needed to free his thoughts of his past lives and most importantly, Woojin.

 

But the only thing that ended up circling in his head the rest of the night seemed to be only Woojin, Woojin and Woojin. Woojin, during his first life. The arrogant prince that only seemed to be soft around Jihoon. And Woojin, the soldier who was his best friend during the tough times. He couldn't deny that he was curious to see what Woojin could become in this life. What they could become. But Jihoon was afraid. He was so damn afraid of all the possibilities how wrong everything could go. And Jihoon wasn't a risk taker. He couldn't bare to see their lives ending like a tragic love story every single time. 

 

 

They weren't meant to be and Jihoon knew it better than anyone.

 

 

 

 

But Woojin or his friends didn't know that. And Jihoon was sure he would lose it if he had to see Woojin one more time. Turned out Daehwi and Jinyoung both enjoyed hanging out with Woojin very much. So much that they kept inviting him to go places with him. And suddenly their group of three became a group of four. Jihoon stuck to his plan though. He never missed a chance to throw a mean comment at Woojin whenever he had the chance. 

 

But Jihoon quickly learned that the new Woojin wasn't so easy to tease. All Jihoon got as a response to the mean comments was a chuckle, a smirk or a comment back. He wasn't sure what kind of game Woojin thought it was. Because to Jihoon it was nothing close to a game. He was genuinely trying to make his third life end somewhat nicely for both of them by pushing Woojin away. 

 

But Woojin was making it too hard and Jihoon was tired.

 

 

\--- 

 

Musical season was starting. And Jihoon knew what it meant. Countless theater visits and group projects and most importantly: stress. Especially when the dance major students were joined with Jihoon's class and Jihoon would rather die for the third time than go to the same classes with one specific dance major student.

 

"Stop groaning. You sound like a dying whale." Daehwi pokes Jihoon as the dance majors walked into the lecture hall. Unfortunately for Jihoon, Woojin saw the three sitting close to the entrance of the lecture hall.

 

"Is he dead?" Woojin asks as he sits down, implying to the groaning Jihoon.

 

"Unfortunately I am not."

 

Woojin laughs.

 

"You keep getting weirder every single day." 

 

"And you keep getting more annoying."

 

"Oh my god can you two shut up?" Jinyoung says, letting out an annoyed groan as he gives the two an angry glare before turning his attention back to the front of the lecture hall.

 

Jihoon decided to take a (well deserved) nap and just get his friends tell him what their group project was going to be about. He did not want to see Woojin giving him glares every now and then which he always seemed to do around Jihoon, which he was probably doing to annoy the older one, Jihoon thought.

 

"Park Jihoon?" Jihoon could hear his teacher yell out distantly and he raised his head lazily to make it seem like he was aware of what was happening.

 

"You'll be pairing up with.......Park Woojin!" the teacher continued and Jihoon was ready to die right there and then. 

 

 _Just kill me now,_ Jihoon said in his head.

 

Jihoon groaned louder than before which made some people around them laugh and Jihoon decided he hate his life again.

One, his plan of making Woojin hate him was not going well.

Two, he now was going to have to see other one even more often than he already did. 

 

Jihoon glanced towards the now smirking Woojin who seemed to enjoy Jihoon's obvious misery and Jihoon was sure he would end up hating Woojin faster than Woojin would end up hating him.

 

 _Fuck this. Fuck Woojin. Fuck my life,_ Jihoon quoted himself from the past as he flopped on the small table in front of him, hitting his forehead with a loud thump.

 

 

 

"What do we even have to do anyway?" Jihoon asks after the class, rubbing his tired eyes as they walk out of the lecture hall.

 

"Go watch musicals and write essays about them." Daehwi explains as they start making their way towards the cafeteria.

 

"And why are the dance majors with us, again?"

 

"Musicals include dancing too, idiot." Woojin comments and Jihoon flinches at the sound of Woojin's voice.

 

"I know that."

 

"Sure you do."

 

"Wow I really hope you choke on your rice." 

 

"Anything for you, sweetie." Woojin says with a teasing tone with a hint of a lazy smirk on his lips and Jihoon imitates gagging noises, while ignoring the small stinging feeling in his heart as the flachbacks flow into his mind.

 

 

 

 

 

> _"Just look under the pillow, Jihoon!" Woojin laughed as Jihoon hesitated._
> 
> _"What is it? A snake? A cockroach?"_
> 
> _"Just look!" Woojin said with a stronger tone, exposing his "prince-like personality" as Jihoon finally found the courage to look under the red pillow on Woojin's bed._
> 
> _He examined the green bracelet that layed on the bed. It was covered in small beads and tiny diamonds and Jihoon felt the smile growing on his face. He picked up the small bracelet and saw the taller one walking towards him with a grin on his face._
> 
> _"What is this?"_
> 
> _"What does it look like?" Woojin laughed and Jihoon smiled._
> 
> _"A bracelet that'sworth more than my whole life." Jihoon blushed as Woojin played with his hair before putting it behind his ears._
> 
> _"Do you like it?" he asked as he took the braceletd from Jihoon's hand to put it around his wrist._
> 
> _"It's p-pretty." Jihoon stuttered and Woojin laughed at the now (very)  flustered Jihoon._
> 
> _"I-I can't wear it thought. It's too risky." Jihoon continued now with a more sad tone as he looked up at Woojin's eyes that were so full of hope and love._
> 
> _"I want you to wear it."_
> 
> _"People are going to ask questions."_
> 
> _"Screw the people." Woojin raised his voice and Jihoon flinched._
> 
> _"It suits your pretty face." Woojin stroked the other's cheek as an apology for raising his voice._
> 
> _"You know that if people find out it's going to end badly for both of us. You could get disowned by your own father, Woojin." Jihoon said with a more serious tone this time, still looking up at Woojin's eyes that were looking right back at him._
> 
> _"I don't care, Jihoon."_
> 
> _Jihoon sighed._
> 
> _"You are insane."_
> 
> _"Anything for you, sweetie." Woojin whispered, planting a kiss on Jihoon's forehead and looking at Jihoon's starry eyes before planting a kiss on his lips as well._

 

 

"Jihoon!" Jihoon flinched at the distant voice of Daehwi and he wakes up from his thoughts to see that he was standing in the middle of the school hallway. He looks ahead and meets Woojin's eyes, that looked more familiar than ever and all Jihoon wants to do was to drown himself in them and all the sweet memoirs from the past. 

 

 But he knew he shouldn't. 

 

 

Jihoon also couldn't stop staring at his own wrist the rest of the day.

He imagined the bracelet and all the tiny diamonds on it. He though back at all the times he was almost caught wearing it and how happy it made Woojin to see him wear it. He didn't want to feel this way. He didn't want Woojin to affect him this way but every time he saw the other one the memoirs from his first and second life came flowing into his mind and he hated it. He absolutely hated it.

 

 

 

 ---

 

"It's been two weeks Jihoon. You are not going to get the musical reviews done like this." Jihoon heard his roommate nag a few weeks later.

 

 _Shut up_ was what he wanted to say but Jinyoung was right. He had to start his and Woojin's project at some point. But he was too afraid. Too afraid the other's presence would affect him too much.

 

But Jihoon decided he wouldn't let Woojin get to him.

 

 **Hoonie**  
4.40pm

hey daehwi what's woojin's number

  
**Daehwiiii**  
4.45pm

ARE U FINALLY GOING TO BE FRIENDS???? UwU

 

 **Hoonie**  
4.47pm

wtf?????? no???? i need to get the musical reviews done and he happens to be my partner

 

 **Daehwiiiii**  
5.01pm

you still haven't started???? damn good luck with graduating

 

 **Hoonie**  
5.04pm

shut up and give me his number

 

 **Daehwiiiii**  
5.08pm

ok ok >___<

 

  
Jihoon put down his phone after getting the number and typing a text, before taking a long breath as he finally pressed send.

 

 

 **Hoonie**  
5.15pm

hey it's jihoon. we should do the musical review project soon. text me when u are available.

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5.18pm

wow ok i thought we were just going to watch the musicals alone and write our own reviews but if you are so eager to go see the musicals together that's fine too i guess

 

  
**Hoonie**  
5.20pm

um NO THATS NOT WHAT I MEANT I CAN DO THIS WITHOUT U

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5.24pm

thats not what it seemed like ;)

 

 **Hoonie**  
5.25pm

don't do that.

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5.30pm

do what? :p

 

 **Hoonie**  
5.32pm

that winky face. it triggers me

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5.36pm

oh does it ;);););););););)

 

 **Hoonie**  
5.40pm

i hate u and im doing this project myself. goodbye.

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5:44pm

lmao stop being dramatic and let's just go to the musicals together it's easier to write the reviews that way anyways

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5:46pm

i just checked and there's one musical at 9.30pm today we can go to that one today and get this thing over with. i think there are still tickets left.

 

 

Jihoon let out a loud sight before texting back.

 

 

 **Hoonie**  
5:50pm

fine. meet me at 9 outside the dorms.

 

 **Hoonie**  
5:51pm

and dont be late i hate people who are late

 

 **P.Woojin**  
5:55pm

u hate me already tho

 

 **Hoonie**  
5:56pm

damn right i do.

 

 

It only hits Jihoon a few minutes later what he had just agreed on. He was going out to see a musical. With Woojin. 

 

_Today._

 

"Fuck shit fuck." numerous curs words escape Jihoon's mouth as he sprungs up from the bed, walking over to his closet.

 

"Where are you going?" Jinyoung asks with a raised brow.

 

"I'm going to see a freaking musical with Park fucking Woojin."

 

"Really? I thought you were just going to do the project alone and just hand them in as a group. Didn't think you two would actually go watch the musicals together" Jinyoung comments and takes another bite of his ramen with a loud 'slurp'.

 

"Oh my god wow you couldn't tell that was an option before I texted him?" Jihoon's could feel his earns burning from what he thought was frustration. Or panick. Or both.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Now he thinks that I wanted to go with him."

 

"Well do you?" Jinyoung asks teasingly and gives Jihoon a questionable smirk and Jihoon swears he could punch the other one right there and then.

 

"No!"

 

"Then why are you freaking out?"

 

"Because, I am going out with Park Woojin!"

 

"It's not a date, you know?" Jinyoung flashes Jihoon another questionable smirk and puts the dishes in the sink. 

 

Jihoon knows its not a date. How could it be. But the thought of having to sit at watch a musical together with someone who made Jihoon go crazy by just being in the same room. And it was terrifying. Jihoon also couldn't ignore the fact how every single time he looked at the other he was reminded by the "other Woojin's" as he like'd to call them. He remembered every damn look the prince had given him and every damn smile the soldier Woojin had flashed him and how during both those times he was so endlessly in love. But this time all the had in his mind was all countless possibilities how everything could go wrong.

 

"I know it's not a date." 

 

"You're acting like it is."

 

"Don't you have a boyfriend to go to?" Jihoon nearly yells out, annoyed at the other one's teasing comments that seemed to just get worse.

 

"Actually I do." Jinyoung says with a smile before leaving the dorm room to see Daehwi and Jihoon was left alone to figure out what he hell he was going to wear.

 

 

 

Jihoon wasn't sure what he was expecting from that night. The fact that it was the first time he and Woojin would be just the two of them during this life. Maybe he was just merely waiting for the night to be over already. 

 

"Hey."

 

_Speaking of the devil...._

 

"You're not late." Jihoon points out.

 

"I like to be on time as well." Woojin flashes Jihoon one of the familiar smug smiles. He was wearing a nice blue dress shirt with a leather jacket and ripped jeans, Jihoon notises and ignores the small sting in his heart again.

 

"Like what you see?" 

 

Jihoon laughs.

 

"You wish."

 

 

 

 

The whole taxi ride is filled with silence and Jihoon is rather relieved but also surprised. All the times before, Woojin was a chatty guy, but not this time. _This Woojin_ seemed way too shy and Jihoon couldn't understand why. Maybe Jihoon's plan had worker after all. Maybe Woojin didn't enjoy spending time with Jihoon.

 

Jihoon decided to stay quiet as well, accepting the fact that Woojin may not enjoy being with him. 

 

 _It's better this way for both of us_ , Jihoon repeated in his mind numerous times throughout the night as both of them stayed silent and distant.

 

"Are you hungry?" Jihoon nearly flinches at the sound of Woojin's voice as they leave the theater and Jihoon finds his words stuck in his throat.

 

"I umm y-yes."

 

Woojin chuckles and Jihoon clears his throat.

 

"Want to grab something to eat?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Does McDonalds sound okay?" Woojin laughs and Jihoon keeps his eyes on the concrete as they both stand outside the theater.

 

"It'll do." Jihoon says, and doesn't miss the smile on Woojin's face. He thinks it's weird, but then again, Woojin himself was weird.

 

 

 

"So. What did you think of the play?" Woojin speaks up with his mouth full of fries and Jihoon nearly laughs at how silly he looked and also at how Woojin was suddenly trying to do small talk with him.

 

"The acting was nice." he comments

 

"Really? I thought it was kinda bad. The dance choreographies were kinda awful too." Woojin says with a more serious tone and Jihoon laughs for real this time.

 

"The whole play was below average." Woojin adds and takes a sip of his drink.

 

" _You_  are below average."

 

"Wow you suck at comebacks."

 

"I hate you." Jihoon says, his face deadpanned and Woojin laughs.

 

"I know you do."

 

 

 

By the time Jihoon gets back to his dorm room he is exhausted. His and Woojin's trip to McDonalds had been a huge mistake because all it did was bring more flashbacks and memories to Jihoon's head and he could feel the migraine coming. During his second life Jihoon had noticed how he started having migraines in result of the flashbacks. But the migraines weren't this bad during his previous life and Jihoon had to admit how scared he felt. He didn’t know if the migraines were a side effect for remembering his previous lifes or if it was just because seeing Woojin was simply painful for him.

 

Jihoon looks over to the kitchen and sees a bag of blueberry snacks as the banging in his head gets worse.

 

 

 

 

 

> _"Jihoon, are you sleeping?" Jihoon's heard Woojin ask in the darkness as he let his eyelids open slowly._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Not anymore." he groaned, hugging his blanket tighter._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Try this." Woojin's voice said from the top bunk and Jihoon saw the other's hand offering something._
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon reached for the small snack in Woojin's hand and raised his brow, "What's this?"_
> 
>  
> 
> _"I stole it."_
> 
>  
> 
> _"You did WHAT?"_
> 
>  
> 
> _"Shhh!" Woojin hushed and climbed down from his bed to sit on Jihoon's._
> 
>  
> 
> _"You said you like these snacks so I got them for you." Woojin smiled and handed more of the snacks to Jihoon._
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon looked at the snacks and then back at Woojin._
> 
>  
> 
> _"You didn't need to steal them for me."_
> 
>  
> 
> _"Just eat them." Woojin laughed quietly and Jihoon stuffed the snacks into his mouth. He smiled at the sweet yet savory taste as he looked up at the other one and all he wanted to do was run his hands through the other's hair and stroke his cheek. But he couldn't. Because he was nothing more than a friend to him, so Jihoon ended up drowning his thoughts deep into his mind._

 

 

Jihoon gulps down the medicine with shaky hands before taking a big sip of water. His migraine was getting worse by the second and Jihoon closes his eyes in pain, his hands grabbing the kitchen counter. 

 

He hears the door to the room open and his grib loosens.

 

"How was the date?" he hears Jinyoung's voice distantly but Jihoon is way too tired for this. He glares at the other one before making his way towards his bed, "It was not a date." he says, his voice hoarse.

 

"Based on the tiny panick attack you had before going it definetly was." Jinyoung continues with a teasing tone.

 

"Please shut up." 

 

"You know me and Daehwi talked and you and Woojin would actually make pretty good friends." Jinyoung's tone is less teasing and more excited this time while the banging in Jihoon's head becomes louder.

 

"Jinyoung-"

 

"Like honestly you have a lot in common it's funny you can't see tha-"

 

"Stop!" Jihoon's yell cuts off Jinyoung and Jihoon grips his shirt's sleeves. 

 

"Jihoon, a-are you okay?" Jinyoung's mutters and Jihoon wants to explode.

 

"No! I am not okay." he yells again, turning around to face his roommate. Jinyoung's eyes are full of pity as he stares at his friends teary eyes. Jihoon doesn't know when the tears started flowing but he can feel the tears on his cheeks now and he realizes can't even see Jinyoung in front of him because of his blurry vision.

 

"Jihoon-" Jinyoung starts but Jihoon is already running to their shared bathroom and locking the door. Jihoon's knees feel shaky as soon as he is inside the bathroom and he feels broken, weak and upset.

 

He hears his friend's voice asking for him outside the door but his head can't form it into words. 

 

He decides to take a warm shower, as he pushes his thoughts deeper into his mind, hoping, that he doesn't need to face them again.

 

 

 ---

 

He and Jinyoung don't talk about it the day after. Jihoon could see the worry in his roommates eyes but he felt relieved that the other doesn't ask anything. He felt bad for yelling at him though, and he wondered if the other one was upset. But the problem seems to be fixed easily with Jihoon buying him a cold drink after class. Jinyoung smiled as he took the drink and Jihoon knew that they were fine. 

 

 

 

He avoids Woojin for days and his migraines seem to go away. Jinyoung inivites him for to a arcade with Daehwi and Woojin one day though, but leaves without Jihoon as he sees Jihoon's blank stare. Jihoon loved how he and Jinyoung managed to communicate without words. Jihoon was never the type of a guy who would talk about his thoughts or feelings and Jinyoung knew that. 

 

 

Jihoon decided to text his friend, Daniel after Jinyoung leaves, thinking that maybe hanging out with friends would help him clear his mind.

 

 

"Long time no see!" Daniel smiles as he opens the door to Jihoon and Jihoon feels a smile forming on his lips as well.

 

"Hi."

 

"Get in!" Daniel laughs and Jihoon walks into Daniel's and his roommate's, Seongwoo's room. He gives a nod towards Seongwoo, who's eating ramen in the kitchen and older flashes a smile. Jihoon got introduced to the two boys back in high school when he was still in the dance club, before the problems with his waist started.

 

"How is our little Jihoonie doing?" Seongwoo asks and Jihoon tells them he's fine with a shy smile.

 

"You look skinnier. Have you been eating?" Daniel notes and before Jihoon can answer, his stomach growls and the older ones laugh.

 

They spend the rest of the night eating food, playing games and catching up and for the first time in weeks, Jihoon feels alright.

 

That is until the other two change the subject while they were talking.

 

"You've been distant lately, or so I heard." Seongwoo says.

 

"School has just been stressing me out." Jihoon lies and offers Seongwoo a warm smile but Seongwoo doesn't believe him.

 

"Yeah, Woojin said you are avoiding him." Daniel says with a yawn and Seongwoo nods aggresively. Jihoon wonders about the other things Woojin might have told Daniel and Seongwoo, who were also dance majors.

 

"I'm not avoiding anyone."

 

"I don't know. Woojin seemed pretty sure about it."

 

"Well he's stupid."

 

"Maybe, but he seems worried." Daniel points out and Jihoon feels a familiar sting in his heart. Never, in a million years Jihoon would think Woojin could be worried about him. Especially not in this life. 

 

"Tell him I'm fine."

 

"Tell that yourself." Seongwoo laughs as he flops next to Daniel on the couch.

 

Jihoon answers with a quiet _"I will"_ , but he knows he wont be doing that. He was too afraid too see Woojin. He was too afraid of the flashbacks and migraines. But most importantly, he was too afraid of his own feelings.

 

 

 

He leaves Daniel's and Seongwoo's dorm a few hours later. He texts Jinyoung to check if he's home and smiles at his phonescreen as he gets a text saying "yes". Jihoon decides to fasten his steps as he makes his way to his own dorm room, excited to just flop on his bed and sleep.

 

But clearly the universe had other plans for him.

 

"Jihoon!" Jihoon hears a voice say behind him as he freezes in the hallway and he knows already who it is. The voice is way too familiar to Jihoon and turning around to face the person who the voice belonged to was the last thing he wanted to. 

 

But he does it anyway.

 

"What do you want?" Jihoon asks and Woojin flinches.

 

"Can we talk?"

 

"About what?"

 

"I-I don't know actually." Woojin scratches the back of awkwardly and Jihoon notices the shy smile forming on his lips.

 

"Then don't waste my time." Jihoon can already feel the headache forming as he turns around and starts walking.

 

"I-I'm sorry!"

 

 

 

Well **that,** he did not expect.

 

Jihoon turns around slowly to see the taller one staring straight as his eyes and Jihoon is confused. So confused that he starts laughing.

 

"What are you sorry for?"

 

"I don't know actually." It's Woojin's turn to laugh and Jihoon feels more clueless than ever.

 

"You have just been avoiding me more than usually and I heard you were, rather upset after we went to the theater so I thought maybe I said something?" the taller one explains, and Jihoon sighs.

 

 _I knew I couldn't trust that tiny head,_ he curses in his head.

 

"You're so dumb." Jihoon breathes out.

 

"The last thing I would do is cry over you", he continues and notices a new smile forming on Woojin's lips.

 

"Oh okay, well good."

 

”Why are you like this suddenly, anyways?” Jihoon finds the courage to ask and Woojin looks more confused than ever.

 

”Like what?”

 

”You know, apologizing. Being nice.”

 

Jihoon waits the other to answer but all he gets is a smug smirk before Woojin finally decided to open his mouth, ”I heard being nice works better.”

 

”Works better for what?”

 

”For befriending someone.”

 

”Are you saying you want to be my friend, Park Woojin?” Jihoon laughs at Woojin, thinking this is a joke, but Woojin’s expression tells him he’s serious.

 

”I wouldn’t be against it.”

 

Jihoon’s smile drops.

 

Not only was his plan totally screwed, but Woojin was even offering to be Jihoon’s friend. Jihoon had thought about befriending the other one in his new life too, but even the thought of it made the banging in his head get worse.

 

”No way.” Jihoon tries his best to sound distant, but Woojin laughs.

 

”Just think about it.” Woojin gives Jihoon’s shoulder a pat before walking away and Jihoon is left alone in the hallway with thoughts he had avoided the whole week (and his racing heart which he refused to admit was from Woojin putting his hand on him).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is not as long as the first one but i hope it's ok?? let me know your thoughts in the comments :D i also thought adding some flashbacks would be nice but tell me what u guys think? is it too confusing? ://


	3. Chapter 3

Everyone knew Jihoon wasn't a risk taker. He just wanted to live a safe, comfortable life. But Woojin was making it hard for him.

 

 

A day didn't pass where Jihoon didn't think about Woojin and his little suggestion about them being friends. Jihoon hated how Woojin made him feel like a coward. Jihoon couldn't lie about not wanting to try. To try to be part of Woojin's life again. Even if it meant he had to be just a friend to him. But Jihoon was afraid of so many things it made him dizzy.

 

 

"You're stupid, just be friends him." Jinyoung had said one night while the two were watching TV together and Jihoon sighted heavily.

 

 

"I just don't get why he suddenly wants to be my friend." Jihoon confessed. He really didn't have a clue how Woojin wanted their little "hate" relationship to turn into a friendship all of a sudden. 

 

 

"What are you talking about. He has always wanted to be your friend." Jinyoung laughed and Jihoon turned to look at his roommate.

 

 

"What?"

 

 

"Have you noticed for example how he never says 'i hate you' back when you say you hate him? Or that he was so worried about you avoiding him that he apologized even though he did nothing wrong?" Jinyoung explained and all Jihoon could do was stare blankly at his friend. Jihoon had never thought about any of the things Jinyoung was telling him. All this time Jihoon had been too busy concentrating on his (now failed) plan. He was too busy throwing mean comments at the other boy, that he never actually concentrated on Woojin's reactions.

 

 

"Just give him a chance." Jinyoung adds when Jihoon is too deep in his thoughts to answer.

 

 

"I'll think about it." Jihoon gives him an halfhearted answer before going to the kitchen to get his headache medicine, before his head started hurting more.

 

 

"You're so dumb, you know that?"

 

 

"And I still I hate you for telling Woojin I cried after the theater visit."

 

 

"For the record, I only told Daehwi." Jinyoung whined and Jihoon rolled his eyes.

 

 

"Well your boyfriend is a snake then."

 

 

"Maybe, but he's a cute snake." Jihoon nearly choked on his medicine because of his roommates comment.

 

 

"Loving snakes romantically is a sick. Get some help."

 

 

"Fuck you." 

 

 

 

\---

 

 

 

The next time Jihoon sees Woojin is unintentional. He would have kept avoiding the other boy, but apparently Jihoon is dumb, because when he goes to return one of Daniel's PS4 games before Daniel's dance class, he doesn't realize the possibility of meeting Woojin.

 

 

"Hi." he hears the other's soft voice call and Jihoon turns around to see Woojin standing in front of him. 

 

 

"I umm hello?" Jihoon finds his words stuck in his throat and he hates how shy and flustered he sounds. But he hates how Woojin just laughs at him even more. Jihoon notes Woojin's tired appearance and notices his sweaty bangs. _He looks gross_ , Jihoon assures to himself.

 

 

"Here to see me?" Woojin's tone is as teasing as always and Jihoon notices the small smirk on his lips.

 

 

"Wow, do you always think everything is related to you somehow?" 

 

 

"Only when it's about you." the teasing tone is getting more strong and Jihoon can only roll his eyes.

 

 

"Is that supposed to make me feel special?" Jihoon raises a brow but Woojin doesn't say anything back. Instead, he just laughs and Jihoon feels tired.

 

 

"So you want to finish the project thing or do you just prefer getting an F." Woojin then changes the subject and Jihoon raises a brow.

 

 

"I can finish it myself."

 

 

"Last time I checked the review needs to include both of our opinions." Woojin is now leaning on the doorway of the dance class with his hands crossed and Jihoon looks at the ground. Not because he is intimitated by the confidence in Woojin's voice, but because he looks gross, Jihoon assures to himself.

 

 

"I'm done with dance class, so how about we go finish the review in the library?" Woojin continues and Jihoon is taken a back by Woojin's persistence. Jihoon didn't know how Woojin managed to be this confident and persistent. It almost reminded Jihoon of the prince-Woojin and Jihoon was almost getting drowned by his memoirs again but he decided not to give his thoughts the power.

 

 

"You're not going to give up, are you?"

 

 

"Nope." Woojin smiles, softly this time and Jihoon almost feels like he can trust Woojin. 

 

 

"Hey!" Jihoon nearly flinches at Daniel's voice as the older one finally walks over to the dance class room with Seongwoo. Jihoon's answer to Woojin is cut off but Jihoon is rather relieved.

 

 

"Are you two besties now?" Seongwoo smirks and Jihoon rolls his eyes again and decides to not answer Seongwoo, but hands Daniel his game instead.

 

 

"I'm going now. Meet me in the library in 20 minutes." Jihoon waves the two older boys a goodbye and gives Woojin one last glance before making his way to the library and he doesn't even need to look back to know Woojin is wearing one of his smug smirks on his lips.

 

 

 

This was a horrible idea. A absolutely horrible idea, Jihoon thinks as he sits at the back of the library waiting for the one boy he doesn't want to see the most right now. Jihoon wishes this is all just a dream. He thinks back at his life how everything was going fine, until Woojin decided to come into his life again. And Woojin was more persistent as ever. It was really as if the prince-Woojin was back, but more confident than before. 

 

 

"Did you miss me?" Jihoon hears the strong busan dialect in Woojin's voice when he sits next to Jihoon and Jihoon glances at the clock.

 

 

"Don't flatter yourself." Jihoon scoffs and takes his laptop from his backpack. Woojin does the same, laughing again.

 

 

"And stop laughing at everything I say." Jihoon whines but the other one just smiles widely, showing Jihoon his snaggle tooth.

 

 

Woojin whispers something to himself but Jihoon doesn't hear it. _He's probably mocking me_ , Jihoon thinks.

 

 

Their "study session" ended up being as full of silence as their theater visit. They both quietly wrote their reviews and Jihoon didn't move his eyes from his laptop once. Not until he hears the other Woojin sigh loudly and he lifts his gaze just for a few seconds and look at Woojin sighing and yawning from behind his laptop and Jihoon can feel the distant banging in his head.

 

 

 

 

> _"Are you done yet?" Jihoon laid his head on Woojin's table as he looked at all the characters Woojin wrote on the thin, almost transparent paper with his pen. He couldn't read what Woojin was writing because of his non existent ability to read, but whatever the other one was writing looked pretty and Jihoon felt like he wanted to learn too._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Just a few minutes left." Woojin gave Jihoon a soft smile before finishing off his writing._
> 
>  
> 
> _"It looks pretty." Jihoon breathed out as he looked at all the soft and sharp characters and how they all were in clean rows._
> 
>  
> 
> _Woojin laughed at Jihoon before rolling his letter and taking another piece of paper on the table._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Do you want to learn how to write?" Woojin raised his brow to Jihoon and Jihoon looked up at Woojin before answering with a small nod._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Come here." Woojin guided Jihoon on his lap before giving the pen to Jihoon and wrapping his hand around Jihoon's hand. Woojin guided Jihoon's hand with his own to write the characters on the paper while Jihoon eyed every movement of the pen. Woojin finished writing the word with Jihoon's hand and Jihoon smiled, "what does it say?" he asked and Woojin smiled._
> 
>  
> 
> _"That's my name."_
> 
>  
> 
> _"It looks pretty." Jihoon smiled again and Woojin sneered with a smile before guiding Jihoon's hand to spell something else._
> 
>  
> 
> _"What does this say?" Jihoon asked once Woojin was finished._
> 
>  
> 
> _"That's your name." Woojin smiled and Jihoon eyed the characters of his own name closely._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Your name looks prettier." Jihoon pouted as Woojin wrapped his hands around Jihoon's waist._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Not as pretty as yours." Woojin whispered to Jihoon's ear and Jihoon felt his heart skip a beat._
> 
>  
> 
> _"You're just saying that because you like me." Jihoon laughed while turning around on Woojin's lap to face the him._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Everything about you is pretty, Jihoon." Woojin whispers again and connects their lips before Jihoon can say anything back._
> 
>  

 

"Did you hear me?" Jihoon is woken up from his thoughts by Woojin's voice and Jihoon blinks his eyes before looking up at Woojin.

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

"I asked if you are done with your review." Woojin laughs and Jihoon looks down at his laptop to see a half empty page of text.

 

 

"No." Jihoon answers quickly before gathering his thoughts and pushing them deeper into his head, ignoring the growing pain in his head.

 

 

"Well hurry up buddy."

 

 

"I'm **_not_** your _buddy_." Jihoon emphasizes the word 'not' while giving his head a slight rub to make the headache go away.

 

 

"Yet." Woojin smiles to himself and Jihoon laughs in disbelief.

 

 

"Don't get too cocky. I still hate you." 

 

 

"No you don't." Woojin suddenly says with a more serious tone and Jihoon lifts his gaze. He looks up at Woojin's eyes that seem to look right through him and Jihoon hates it. 

 

 

"Do you have proof.....that I don't hate you?" Jihoon tries to sound distant and confident but his sentence is interrupted by a feeling of a dry throat and Jihoon coughs slightly, before looking back at Woojin's eyes.

 

 

"Well first, you don't look at me in the eyes when you say you hate me. And you just spent two minutes staring at me." Woojin explains and Jihoon feels like he has just been exposed. Jihoon knew he didn't hate Woojin. He hated how Woojin made him have flashbacks and migraines but he did not actually hate him.

 

 

"That doesn't mean anything." Jihoon reverts his eyes away from Woojin and back on his laptop screen, but feels how Woojin's eyes are still on him.

 

 

"It's funny. I don't really know you-"

 

 

"You're right, you don't." Jihoon cuts Woojin off but Woojin continues:

 

 

"But I still feel like I know you."

 

 

Jihoon lifts his gaze slowly and he can feel the beat of his heart getting faster but he doesn't know why.

 

 

"It doesn't feel like we are strangers." Jihoon looks at Woojin and the shy smile that is forming on his lips as he finishes his sentence and Jihoon feels the sting in his heart again. Woojin was right. They were not strangers. Not to Jihoon. 

 

 

But Woojin didn't know that.

 

 

The pain in Jihoon's head gets worse and Jihoon needs to leave.

 

 

 _Right now_.

 

 

"Where are you going?" Jihoon starts packing his stuff and Woojin eyes Jihoon with a confused look on his face.

 

 

"I need to go. Email your review to me or something." is all Jihoon says before quickly leaving the library.

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon's migraines get worse after that and Jihoon finds himself avoiding Woojin again. Mainly because it hurts too much. But also because Woojin had become more persistent and Jihoon couldn't take it with his migraines. The flashbacks came to Jihoon more easily too. Jihoon couldn't remember if it was this bad during his second life. But maybe he was too busy spending time loving his then bestfriend to notice. Jihoon wondered if this was some kind of a strong sign telling him that he and Woojin really weren't meant to be. Because anytime the other boy even slightly came into Jihoon's thoughts, the distant banging in Jihoon's head became louder and Jihoon found himself hating Woojin. Well, not Woojin himself. But hating how the other made him feel so vunerable and broken. 

 

 

 

"You're going to get addicted." Jinyoung had pointed out to Jihoon, handing him the medicine Jihoon had asked him to get from the pharmacy.

 

"I'll be fine." Jihoon said, taking another pill from the small bottle to ease his pain. Jihoon could see the worry in Jinyoung's eyes and Jihoon hated to be a bother to his friends. He knew he wasn't fine. How could he be when Woojin was back in his life. But worrying his friends was the last thing Jihoon wanted to do. 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon decided to skip class when he saw they would have class with the dance majors.

 

 

"I think I have fever." he lied to Jinyoung that morning and to his luck, Jinyoung bought his poor excuse. Jinyoung probably knew Jihoon was lying, he had known Jihoon for years after all, but Jihoon was glad when his roommate left alone for class without asking any questions. He hoped Jinyoung didn't know why Jihoon was acting this way. He hoped he didn't know it was because of Woojin. Explaining why he was avoiding Woojin would have been too complicated and Jihoon didn't want to confuse the poor Jinyoung more than he already did.

 

 

Jihoon glances at the clock at 2pm and lets out a big sigh before turning his attention back to the game he was playing. 2pm meant that Jihoon's class and Woojin's class was going on in the lecture hall right now. A small feeling of relief fills Jihoon's mind when he realizes that he isn't there right now. 

 

 

But Jihoon's relaxed and relieved mind is cut off with a knock on the door and Jihoon flinces at the sound. Thinking it can't be anyone else than Jinyoung, he opens the door.

 

 

But as expected he is met with two familiar eyes and a smirk.

 

 

"Hi."

 

 

Jihoon eyes the slightly taller one with a raised brow and thinks if he should just close the door and leave him standing there but Woojin thinks fast and is already holding the door so Jihoon can't close the door even if he wants to.

 

 

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

 

 

"Shouldn't you be in class too?" Woojin raises a brow and Jihoon sneers at the other's attitude.

 

 

"I'm sick." Jihoon tries to close the door but Woojin is stronger than he expects.

 

 

"I heard."

 

 

"What are you doing here?" Jihoon's tone is more annoyed this time and Woojin usual confident gaze is replaced by a shy look at the floor.

 

 

"The teacher told us to discuss the musical with out partners so I-"

 

 

"You came here because of that?" Jihoon can't believe his eyes. Park Woojin was getting more unbelievable everyday and Jihoon was getting real tired of it.

 

 

"Well you are my partner, aren't you?" Jihoon doesn't miss the teasing tint in Woojin's tone and Jihoon tries to close the door again, but Woojin is too strong.

 

 

"You're unbelievable."

 

 

"Thank you." Woojin smiles as he walks in and Jihoon would usually try to protest but he is too tired.

 

 

 _"It wasn't a compliment"_ Jihoon says in his mind and closes the door when Woojin is already inside.

 

 

"Did you eat?" Woojin asks, pointing at the empty cup of ramen on the table and Jihoon just nods.

 

 

"You have more ramen? I'm feeling kinda hungry." 

 

 

"Go ahead, it's not like you'll listen to me anyway." Jihoon says with a sigh before heading back to his game. He hears Woojin laugh slightly and looking inside the cabinets for food. Jihoon smells the ramen after a while and he glances at the kitchen and sees Woojin eating the ramen with a smile on his face.

 

 

"So why are you avoiding me again?" Woojin glances towards Jihoon and Jihoon flinches at the sudden sound of Woojin's voice.

 

 

"I'm not avoiding you." Jihoon hates how Woojin seems to know everything. He hates how Woojin can read Jihoon like an open book and how it makes Jihoon sometimes wonder if Woojin can remember him as well from the past. But Woojin doesn't remember Jihoon and Jihoon pushes the thought away.

 

 

"You're a bad liar."

 

 

"Okay, and what if I am avoiding you?" Jihoon didn't know what made him say it. Maybe it was the growing headache, maybe it was Woojin. Or maybe it was both.

 

 

"Why though?"

 

 

Jihoon couldn't obviously tell him the truth. He speculated whenever answering with his usual "mean" way or if he should just say something else.

 

 

"Because you annoy me." is what he decides to go with.

 

 

"I'm just being nice to you though." Woojin laughs slightly and Jihoon feels a sting in his chest again.

 

 

"Well don't." Jihoon scoffs and Woojin's smile drops.

 

 

"Fine." Jihoon hears Woojin say and he doesn't miss the glimpse of sadness in Woojin's voice.

 

 

"Jihoon?"

 

 

"Yes?"

 

 

"Should I leave?" Woojin's voice is quiet and distant and Jihoon turns to look at the other with a raised brow. 

 

 

"Yes." Jihoon answers as he eyes Woojin's expression which has totally changed. Jihoon wonders if he said something wrong, because Woojin keeps quiet and Jihoon has never seen Woojin like this. All the times before when Jihoon had said mean things to Woojin the other hadn't cared. What surprised Jihoon even more is Woojin standing up and making his way towards the door.

 

 

"Hope you get well soon." is all Woojin says before he leaves and Jihoon can't help but feel empty. He isn't sure if it's the change in Woojin's tone and glare or if it's the feeling of Woojin going away again, just like he always does when Jihoon's lives end. 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon can't sleep that night. Thanks to his never ending migraine and the thoughts in his head. Jihoon feels like he's overreacting and he sure hopes he is, because Woojin isn't the type to get upset over Jihoon's mean remarks. But a small voice in Jihoon's head reminds him that if Woojin did get upset, then that means Jihoon's plan has worked. Maybe Woojin disliked Jihoon now. But Jihoon doesn't feel relieved like he had thought he would. Instead, he feels guilty. But he also feels upset. If only Woojin knew about the past, all the previous lives, then he would understand why Jihoon was scared to get close. Maybe Jihoon was selfish, but Jihoon knew it better than anyone. He knew it was better for both of them to live seperate lives. He knew that way no one would get hurt.

 

 

But why did Jihoon feel so broken then?

 

 

 

 

 

As friday comes, Jihoon is so physically and emotionally tired that he's not sure if he is living anymore. He falls asleep during all of his classes and Jihoon skips lunch. Mainly because he isn't that hungry, but also because he can't help but feel bothered by Woojin's presence in the table he always shares with Daehwi and Jinyoung. He prays his friends haven't noticed the tight atmosphere in the table as Jihoon hasn’t been saying his usual mean and sarcastic comments to Woojin. He prays they (Daehwi in particular) won’t ask question. Jihoon isn't sure either why Woojin has suddenly turned cold and more distant. Why he was so eager to befriend Jihoon but now he didn't even glance at Jihoon. Jihoon can't help but feel like an outsider as Woojin and his friends joke around in the table and all Jihoon does is sit quietly, glaring at the three, hiding all his own emotions and the things he wants to say. Jihoon curses in his mind for ever thinking his third life was going to be easy. Because it had become obvious to Jihoon by now, that life was never easy for him. 

 

 

And life seems to get even harder, as Jihoon lays on his bed after classes, reading his favorite comic book when the door opens and Jinyoung walks in with two other people. Jihoon can recognize the voices without looking and Jihoon's grip on his comic book tightens as the three other boys in the room start making noise in the kitchen.

 

 

"There's no soda." Daehwi pouts as he looks in the fridge and Jihoon sees his opportunity.

 

 

"I'll get it!" Jihoon jumps up from the bed, fast, and Daehwi raises a brow at him. Jihoon's not doing it because he wants to be nice, he just wants to get out of the dorm for a while.

 

 

"You sure?" Jinyoung questions and Jihoon nodds.

 

 

"I was thinking about going to the store anyways." Jihoon lies as he puts on his oversized hoodie, takes his keys and wallet and with a quick wave he is out of the door. 

 

 

He sighs, relieved as he steps out of the dorm building, breathing in the cool spring breeze as he starts making his way towards the grocery store. The cold breeze messes with Jihoon's hair as he walks to the grocery store and he decides to go to the grocery store that isn't the nearest, because he really doesn't want to hurry back.

 

 

 

Jihoon didn't know how his trip to the grocery store ended up with him sitting at a park drinking a can of beer. Or, actually four cans of beer. Well it was his fifth one to be exact but Jihoon wasn't counting. He could feel the phone in his pocket buzzing once in a while and he figured it was his friends asking for him. He didn't want to go back though. Not while Woojin was there. 

 

 

Jihoon had to admit he was a coward. But how could he not feel scared of everything going wrong after his previous lives. But Jihoon was more scared of Woojin. It was scary how the boy managed to appear in Jihoon's life over and over again and how he always made Jihoon go crazy in some way. 

 

 

Jihoon feels his phone buzz for the hundredth time that night and Jihoon groans as he stands up. He is swaying as he stands and he think that maybe he had one beer too much. But Jihoon is too drunk to care as he starts making his way to the dorms.

 

 

Turns out Jihoon did have way too many beers. Because by the time he's in front of his dorm room's door, he struggles to fit the key in the key hole and everything seems blurry. To his luck, the door is opened from the other side, but it's not Jinyoung. Or Daehwi. 

 

 

It's Woojin and even though Jihoon's vision is blurry, he can see the strange expression on the taller ones face.

 

 

"Where the heck were you?" Woojin's tone is cold and strong.

 

 

"Where's Jinyoungie? Where's Daehwi?" Jihoon knows his voice gets slightly higher and softer when he's drunk but even he is taken a back by his tone.

 

 

"They are out looking for you. Do you know how many hours you were gone?" 

 

 

 

Jihoon pouts at Woojin's sudden angrier tone as he (tries to) sway towards the kitchen.

 

 

"You're weird." Jihoon whines and finds his way to the sink.

 

 

"Are you...drunk?" Woojin finally notices Jihoon's swaying and half closed eyes and also the change of Jihoon's tone.

 

 

"Maybe." Jihoon raises his tone towards the end and Woojin laughs.

 

 

"Whatever, I'm calling Daehwi to let them know you are here."

 

 

"Were you worried?" Jihoon is too drunk to understand what is coming out of his mouth.

 

 

"Jihoon you disappeared for three hours."

 

 

"Aww you were worried." Jihoon starts swaying towards Woojin and Woojin manages to catch Jihoon before he falls.

 

 

"You smell nice."

 

 

"And you are drunk." Woojin is laughing now and Jihoon smiles at the snaggle tooth that is peaking from the other's mouth.

 

 

"Doesn't change the fact that you smell nice." 

 

 

"You need to sleep." Woojin guides Jihoon to his bed but Jihoon pouts.

 

 

"Are you leaving me again?"

 

 

"What?"

 

 

"You are always leaving me, it's annoying." Jihoon knows it's the alcohol that is making him say all these things but he's too drunk to care.

 

 

Woojin seems to ignore Jihoon's drunk mumbling as he helps Jihoon on the bed but Jihoon is too drunk to let Woojin ignore him.

 

 

"It's okay to leave me again. I'm used to it." Jihoon's mumbling is quiet but he is sure Woojin can hear every word.

 

 

"What are you talking about?" Woojin's lets out a nervous laugh and Jihoon opens his lids lazily to look at the boy beside him.

 

 

"You'll come back. You always do."

 

 

"You're so drunk ohmyg-"

 

 

"It would be nice if you stayed for longer this time though. I kinda don't want to miss your face again." Jihoon can feel the drunk wide smile forming on his lips as he raises his hand to touch Woojin’s cheek.

 

 

"Weren't you the one who didn't want to be friends with me?" the small smirk on Woojin's lips doesn't go unnoticed by Jihoon.

 

 

"I still don't. But it's better for both of us if we are not friends." Jihoon's tone gets more whiny and high pitched again and he can feel his lids closing.

 

 

"And why would it be better to not be friends?"

 

 

"That way it doesn't hurt as much when you leave this life again."

 

 

Woojin laughs.

 

 

"You're so weird. Weird **and**  drunk." Woojin says with a sigh and stands up.

 

 

"And you are stupid. Stupid but hot."

 

 

"I'm what?"

 

 

"Nothing. Now let me sleep you stupid face." Jihoon hugs his blanket with his hands and before he knows it he is already asleep.

 

 

 

 

"Why did you do it? Did you know how worried we were?" Daehwi's loud voice is echoing in Jihoon's head as he drinks his 4th glass of orange juice in the morning and he can feel his headache getting worse.

 

 

"Please don't yell at me." Jihoon holds his head with his hand as he takes his medicine from his bedside table.

 

 

"Woojin said you were acting very weird when you came back. You were talking about him leaving you." Daehwi continues and Jihoon remembers all the things he had said while drunk. He regrets all the things he said, but then again, Woojin didn't know what he meant with any of it so the situation wasn't as worse as it could be.

 

 

"You also called him hot apparently." Jinyoung adds.

 

 

 _That_ , Jihoon did not remember saying and he realizes the situation _is_ as worse as it can be.

 

 

"I was drunk I didn't know what I was saying." Jihoon defends himself but Daehwi ignores him.

 

 

"Is that why you didn't want to be friends with him? Is it because you like him?" 

 

 

Jihoon nearly chokes on his juice.

 

 

"Oh my god how could I possibly like him? I don't even know Woojin that well." Jihoon lies about the 'not knowing Woojin part' and Daehwi starts smiling.

 

 

"He totally likes him." Daehwi says to Jinyoung and Jinyoung nods to his boyfriend.

 

 

"I do not!" Jihoon's voice cracks mid-sentence and his friends laugh.

 

 

"It's okay Jihoon! Woojin is a charming guy it's totally fine." Jinyoung says with a teasing tone and Jihoon throws the pillow on his bed towards Jinyoung.

 

 

"I don't like Woojin and I hate both of you." Jihoon says as he heads to the bathroom to take a shower and heard his friends' snickering as he locks the door.

 

 

 

The _'drunk Jihoon_ ' must have affected Woojin, because Woojin was back to the teasing and friendly Woojin and Jihoon regretted ever feeling upset about Woojin avoiding him. Because for the next few days Woojin wouldn't leave Jihoon alone and all Jihoon wanted was the be ignored. Especially by Woojin.

 

 

"Did you miss my stupid face?" Jihoon hears Woojin's ask teasingly as he waits for Daniel in front of the dance rooms.

 

 

"I hate your stupid face." 

 

 

"Mhmm sure you do." Woojin leans on the wall next to Jihoon and Jihoon can feel the warmth coming from Woojin's body and he notices the tank top he's wearing  and Jihoon suddenly feels like the floor is the best thing to stare at.

 

 

"Don't you have dance class to attend?" Jihoon asks as he (pretends to) look at his phone.

 

 

"I do. And so does Daniel so why are you here this early?"

 

 

"What?" Jihoon was sure Daniel gets off dance class at six but he suddenly feels unsure.

 

 

"Daniel has two dance classes in a row on Tuesdays." Woojin explains and Jihoon groans, annoyed at the fact that he was two hours early.

 

 

"You can watch our dance class you know? We are practising for a show and I don't think Taehyun would mind if we show someone the choreo." 

 

 

Jihoon is ready to say no and head back to his dorm room but Woojin is already making his way towards this Taehyun who Jihoon doesn’t know.

 

 

"I suppose an outsiders opinion on the choreo would be nice." he hears the older man, Taehyun say and the said man peeks from the dance room only seconds later.

 

 

"Get in!" he says with a smile and Jihoon can't help but walk in. He feels all the stares of all the people in the room on him and he has to admit he feels nervous for some reason. He spots Daniel at the back of the room and gives him a little wave to which the other responds with a confused look but he waves back with a smile.

 

 

"Okay. Let's do the choreo from start to finish for our guest right here." the short but loud Taehyun announces as he finds his spot in the front row, where Woojin was also standing. Jihoon sees the smile on Woojin's lips but decides to look anywhere else but Woojin.

 

 

The music starts and all of the students start dancing to the choreo. The choreo seems hard and powerful and Jihoon eyes at all the student and how they move in sync. He spots his old friend from high school, Donghan and offers a small smile but the other seems too concentrated on the choreo to notice. Jihoon can see Woojin with the side of his eye, but looking at Woojin dance was the last thing he wanted to do. But they change formations and suddenly Woojin is right in Jihoon's vision and Jihoon frozes. He notices the changed expression on Woojin's face and how charismatic and concentrated he looked. He notices all the small details of the choreo thanks to Woojin's distinct and powerful movements and Jihoon realizes that this is exactly what Woojin was made to do. It was not the archery he was thought during his first life or the poetry. Nor it was the soldier training he got in the army or in the war. It was this. Jihoon couldn't help but feel happy for the other boy and how he seemed to shine whenever danced and how a small smile formed on his lips after he finished doing a hard part of the choreography. He couldn't help but feel relieved that Woojin seemed to enjoy his life.

 

 

The music then stopped and all the students were on the floor in their ending positions and Jihoon couldn't help but clap quietly at the "performance."

 

 

"So? Does it look okay for a non-dancer?" Taehyun panted as he asked Jihoon his opinion.

 

 

"Jihoon used to be a dancer!" Daniel points out and gives Jihoon a small smile.

 

 

"Oh so you do know something about dancing. How was it then?" 

 

 

"It was great! I really liked the choreo during the chorus. It seemed to connect the song and the dance well." Jihoon comments and offers a small smile to Taehyun.

 

 

"I like this guy! What's your name again?" Taehyun laughs slightly and Jihoon hears Daniel and Seongwoo laughing too.

 

 

"I'm Jihoon. Theater major." Jihoon gives the older guy a small bow and the other one smiles.

 

 

"Well Jihoon, you can come to our dance classes whenever you like. You seem interesting." Taehyun says while taking a sip from his bottle water and Jihoon just smiled awkwardly.

 

 

"Besides you're cute." Jihoon is slightly taken aback by the older one's flirty comment but decided to just shake it off and smiles again with a small laugh.

 

 

Jihoon sits next to the dance room door the rest of the class, occasionally looking at his phone. He notices the occasional glances Taehyun gives him through the mirror, but Jihoon just looks away anytime it happens. He then notices the grim look on Woojin's face but he thinks its just because he's tired.

 

 

"Why didn't you tell me you used to dance." Jihoon hears Woojin ask after the dance class was over and Jihoon glances at the slightly taller one as he wiped his sweat with his towel.

 

 

"You never asked."

 

 

"Guess I should've." Woojin smiled but his smile was soon gone as Taehyun started walking towards the two boys.

 

 

"I hope to see you soon again, Jihoonie." he older says with a wink as he walks past Jihoon and Jihoon is too baffled to react.

 

 

"Well someone seems to like you." Daniel says and puts his arm around Woojin's shoulder.

 

 

"He never uses nicknames with us." Seongwoo points out and Jihoon laughs awkwardly again, but he sees Woojin's blank expression, and for some reason he feels guilty for smiling.

 

 

"Excuse me." Woojin says as he starts making his way towards the locker rooms and Jihoon is about to turn around to look at Woojin but he is stopped by Daniel and Seongwoo who start asking him questions.

 

 

 

 

Jihoon visits the dance classes a few times after that and every time Taehyun seems to get a little more flirtier and bolder. For some odd reason Jihoon doesn't mind though. He enjoys the attention the older one gives him but Jihoon can't ignore Woojin who seemed more and more strange everytime he came to watch their classes. Maybe he was annoyed at Jihoon getting the attention from Taehyun, maybe he was just being weird for no reason.

 

 

"So, there's a rumour going around that the dance graduate Noh Taehyun has his eye on a certain sophomore." Jinyoung says in the cafeteria one day and Jihoon feels his friend's gaze on him.

 

 

"Is that so?" Daehwi asks beside Jinyoung as they both glare at Jihoon. Jihoon lifts his gaze from the food to see his two friends smiling at him.

 

 

"Don't you know that you shouldn't believe rumours." Jihoon states with a blank expression.

 

 

"C'mon! You need to tell us something!" Jinyoung whines and Daehwi nods repeatedly.

 

 

"Has he asked you out yet?" Daehwi asks and Jihoon chokes on his water.

 

 

"It's nothing like that." Jihoon says between coughs and glances at Woojin sitting next to him who's just eating his food quietly.

 

 

"If he asks, will you go on a date with him?" Daehwi leans forward and Jihoon laughs.

 

 

"I don't know." he decides to say but regrets it immediately as both Jinyoung and Daehwi starts cheering loudly.

 

 

"Our Jihoon is finally getting a boyfriend!" Daehwi sneers and Jihoon nearly chokes on his drink again.

 

 

"He hasn't even made a move on me yet, chill." Jihoon laughs awkwardly and is about to glance at Woojin but Woojin stands up.

 

 

"Where are you going?" Jinyoung asks, buffled.

 

 

"I need to use the bathroom." is all Woojin says before walking out of the cafeteria. Jihoon decides not to overthink it, and believes Woojin as he leaves for the "bathroom".

 

 

 

 

Jihoon decides to go to the dance class the next Tuesday. He isn't as fond of Taehyun as the older one might be of him, but he doesn't mind the attention he gets from him. He also enjoys watching the choreographies. Especially he enjoys watching one of the students but he never admits it to himself.

 

 

"Hi, Jihoonie!" Jihoon hears Taehyun's voice as he stands in the dance hall's door frame.

 

 

"Hi." he says back with a smile and is about to walk inside but is stopped by a familiar person.

 

 

"Let's talk." he hears Woojin say before he is dragged to the locker rooms and Jihoon sends an apologetic smile to Taehyun.

 

 

"You don't need to drag me here. I can walk myself." Jihoon blurts out as he is inside the locker rooms with Woojin.

 

 

"You need to stop coming to our dance classes." Woojin says with a sigh and Jihoon just stares at him with a blank expression.

 

 

"And why is that?"

 

 

"It's not smart to be close with Taehyun." the expression on Woojin's face is a mix of desperate and angry and Jihoon can't figure out why.

 

 

"What are you talking about?" Jihoon sneers.

 

 

"He's not a good guy. He might seem like one, but he isn't."

 

 

"I don't think you should be talking about him like that." Jihoon crosses his arms and leans on a locker but Woojin just seems to get more annoyed.

 

 

"He is a great dance teacher. But as a person he is nothing close to great." Woojin's tone sounds more desperate and Jihoon notices him clenching his fists.

 

 

"You're being weird." Jihoon starts walking out of the locker room but is stopped by Woojin's hand on his shoulder.

 

 

"Please, just, be careful." Woojin stares straight into Jihoon's eyes and Jihoon feels weak.

 

 

"We are going to be late." Jihoon says while glancing at the clock and walks to the dance room and hears Woojin sigh loudly behind him.

 

 

Jihoon can't help but think about Woojin's words during the class. He doesn't know why the other seemed so desperate to keep Jihoon away from Taehyun, especially when Taehyun didn't seem like a bad guy to Jihoon. Sure, his flirty comments made Jihoon uncomfortable sometimes, but it was nothing too serious. Jihoon eyes Woojin during the class and how his dance moves seemed more aggressive than ever. He wonders if Woojin could be jealous, but that would be unlikely. Maybe Woojin was more eager again to be Jihoon's friend but he wouldn't be jealous over someone flirting with Jihoon, would he?

 

 

 

Jihoon decides to listen to Woojin and not come to the dance classes next time. He doesn't understand the guilt he feels whenever Taehyun flirts with him and Woojin glares at the two with a foreign look on his face that Jihoon doesn't quite understand. But he knows the look Woojin is giving is not positive.

 

Taehyun keeps in contact with Jihoon though. Jihoon doesn't know how, but somehow the older one had managed to get Jihoon's number and Jihoon is too nice to ignore his texts. Jihoon knows he doesn't like Taehyun. He isn't his type, but something about the older's attitude scares Jihoon and Jihoon can't help but go along with the older's flirtatious conversations.

 

 

"Can you stop texting and watch the movie with us?" Daehwi whines on a rainy friday as he gets comfortable next to Jinyoung on the couch. Jihoon lifts his gaze from his phone screen and sees his roommate with Daehwi on the couch while Woojin sits on the floor with some pillows.

 

 

"Fine." he figures watching a movie is a good reason not to text Taehyun who didn't seem to leave him alone. 

 

 

"Who are you texting anyways? I thought we are your only friends?" Daehwi teases as Jihoon sits on the floor next to Woojin.

 

 

"Taehyun." Jihoon can feel Woojin shift next to him and he eyes the other one but Woojin is staring at his own phone.

 

 

"He has been messaging Jihoon for days." Jinyoung comments and Jihoon nods.

 

 

"Never in a million years would I have thought that a someone like Taehyun would like someone like Jihoon." Daehwi sneers.

 

 

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jihoon nudged Daehwi's foot hardly and Daehwi laughs.

 

 

"Nothing." Daehwi sneers again.

 

 

Jihoon sticks his tongue out to Daehwi before turning back towards the TV and taking a glimpse of the boy next to him, who just sat there quietly.

 

Their movie night didn't last long thanks to Daehwi whining about wanting to eat pizza. The movie wasn't even half way done when Jinyoung left with Daehwi to get pizza and Jihoon noticed his phone was flooded with messages from Taehyun.

 

 

"You know he just wants to get in your pants." Jihoon hears the boy next to him finally say and he sends him a confused glare.

 

 

"And why do you think that?"

 

 

"Because it's Taehyun. He finds someone he likes, has sex with them and then forgets them." Woojin's eyes were glued to the paused movie on the TV screen and his tone was serious.

 

 

Jihoon decides to ignore Woojin and answers Taehyun's text instead. He can sense from Taehyun's texts and attitude that Woojin is right, but at this point Jihoon just wanted to annoy the other one.

 

 

"That's what he did to Donghan. Now he never gets a place at the front in our choreographies." Woojin continues, his voice louder this time and Jihoon turns his attention to him.

 

 

"Why do you even care?"

 

 

"I don't. I just don't understand why do you even let him flirt with you the way he does." 

 

 

"What if I like it when he flirts with me?" It's Jihoon's turn to tease the other and Jihoon makes sure Woojin can see the smirk on his face as he provoked the other one.

 

 

"You don't. I can see it from your face." Woojin's expression is blank and cold. 

 

 

Jihoon snickers.

 

 

"Last time I checked you don't even know me that well and now you suddenly know what I like and what I don't like." Jihoon nearly whispers but Woojin hears him.

 

 

Woojin stays quiet though.

 

 

"Oh would you look at that! He just invited me to his birthday party." Jihoon announces to tease Woojin as he checks his texts again and Woojin lifts his gaze finally.

 

 

"His parties are full of alcohol and horny dudes, you don't want to go there." Woojin's gaze is now fully on Jihoon and Jihoon feels like Woojin is looking through him.

 

 

"I was thinking about going though." Jihoon notices Woojin's glare change and he almost admits he's kidding, but he decides to provoke the other one a little bit more.

 

 

"I'd....love to.....come..." Jihoon reads out loud as he types on the text box but he is stopped by Woojin taking the phone from his hands.

 

 

"Hey!" Jihoon yells as Woojin deletes Jihoon's answer.

 

 

"You'll thank me later." Jihoon can see the "arrogant-prince" look Woojin is giving him as Jihoon reaches out for his phone.

 

 

"You're being a dick. Give me my phone." Woojin raises Jihoon's phone in his hand and Jihoon learns that his hands are too short to reach. Jihoon reaches for his phone with a small jump and before he can realize he is falling on the floor and Jihoon grabs the only thing close to him which happens to be the hem of Woojin's shirt. 

 

 

It all happens before Jihoon can even register what is happening, but Woojin falls with Jihoon on the floor and Jihoon opens his eyes to see Woojin on top of him with his arms on both sides of Jihoon's head and the look on Woojin's face seems too familiar all of a sudden.

 

 

 

> _"I look stupid!" Jihoon whined behind the door of Woojin’s closet and he hears Woojin laugh._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Stop being shy and just show me." Woojin's laugh was say too reassuring and Jihoon took a deep breath before walking from behind door._
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon walked awkwardly with the silky gown on him and Jihoon felt more shy than ever. The red traditionally patterned gown felt cold on Jihoon's body and Jihoon wrapped the gown around his body._
> 
>  
> 
> _"It looks so weird on me." Jihoon felt his cheeks getting redder as he noticed Woojin staring at him intensively. He avoided the other's gaze as he took slow steps towards the bed where Woojin was sitting._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Can you please say something? You are the one who made me wear this." Jihoon felt Woojin's gaze on him more stronger than ever. Seconds later Woojin's hand wrapped around Jihoon's wrist as prince pulled Jihoon closer towards him._
> 
>  
> 
> _"You look amazing." Woojin whispered and Jihoon finally found the courage to look at the boy sitting on the bed. Jihoon could feel Woojin's other hand making it's way on Jihoon's waist and Jihoon felt like his cheeks were going to burn._
> 
>  
> 
> _”It’s soft.” Jihoon decided to ignore Woojin's thumb making small strokes on his waist and commented on the gown he was wearing. He then looked down at the boy on the bed and the similar gown he was wearing, except that it was deep blue. It seemed to suit Woojin so well. But the gown felt so foreign on Jihoon's body. Jihoon could never even dream about wearing something so soft and silky._
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon could feel Woojin's other hand make its way inside Jihoon's gown and revealing Jihoon's bare stomach before planting a small kiss on Jihoon's stomach. Jihoon let out a shaky breath as he looked at the other's eyes that were so full of love and admiration that Jihoon felt dizzy._
> 
>  
> 
> _"How are you so beautiful." Woojin smiled as he guided Jihoon to sit on his lap as Jihoon kept his eyes on Woojin and Woojin kept his eyes on Jihoon. He felt Woojin's warm breath on his face as put his arms around the other's neck before blushing at Woojin's comment._
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon's already blushed cheeks felt ever more warm as Woojin put his hands on Jihoon's waist and Jihoon flinched at the touch._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Woojin..." Jihoon breathed out with closed eyes and he could tell even without looking that Woojin was wearing that smug smirk on his lips._
> 
>  
> 
> _"You're so cute when you're flustered." Woojin's voice was deep and quiet but Jihoon could hear every word clearly._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Shut up and just kiss me already." Jihoon opened his eyes to look Woojin and how his smirk turned into a wide smile._
> 
>  
> 
> _"Impatient now, aren't we?"_
> 
>  
> 
> _"Woojin, I swear if you don't kiss me in the next three seconds I will le-"_
> 
>  
> 
> _Woojin's lips crashed on top of Jihoon's before Jihoon could finish his sentence. He kissed Jihoon hard and with passion and Jihoon felt so loved. Woojin's hand travelled under Jihoon's gown on his bare back as Woojin's nibbles and licks Jihoon bottom lip and Jihoon pressed their bodies even closer as he opened his mouth to welcome Woojin's tongue. Jihoon doesn't get to catch his breath properly when they pull back for oxygen because Woojin's lips found their way on Jihoon's only few seconds after pulling back and Jihoon could feel Woojin turn them around so that Woojin was pinning Jihoon on his bed. Jihoon felt Woojin's bare chest on his own as Woojin planted kisses on the side of his mouth and jaw. Jihoon let himself drown in Woojin's admiration and how he made Jihoon feel so extremely loved. He let himself forget that Woojin was a prince and that he was just a palace guard. Because at that moment they were just two boys in love and that was all that mattered to Jihoon._
> 
>  

 

"Um Jihoon?" Jihoon hears Woojin call him distantly as he wakes up from his thoughts, the headache in his head growing because of the flashback. He notices Woojin is not on top of him anymore but that he is sitting, his thighs around Jihoon's legs with a confused but embarrassed expression and Jihoon sits up too, his attention on the weird look Woojin was giving him.

 

 

"You are um....uh..." Woojin stutters and Jihoon raises a brow before looking at where Woojin was glancing at.

 

 

Jihoon shouldn't be surprised when he realized his flashback had woken up a particular body part, but Woojin is still sitting (kinda) on top of Jihoon and Jihoon feels like he could die right there and then.

 

 

"Get off."

 

 

"I uhh...."

 

 

"Get off of me. Now." Jihoon can feel the heat on his cheeks and ears from embarrasement as he pushes Woojin off of him and runs to the bathroom.

 

 

Not only is Jihoon's heart racing from the embarrassing moment but he feels his headache becoming worse as he washes his face with cold water and decides it's the best to stay in the bathroom for the rest of the night (or maybe even for the rest of his life).

 

 

 

Jihoon hears Daehwi and Jinyoung arrive with the pizzas a few moments later, but it's only a while after he comes out of the bathroom. He avoids looking at Woojin's direction as he grabs his phone that was laying on the ground.

 

 

"Are you coming?" he hears Daehwi ask with pizzas in his hands and Jihoon diclines. He flops on his bed with his phone and decides it's the best to not even look at Woojin again. 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon wakes up that night to grab some of the left over pizza after Daehwi and Woojin had left and Jinyoung was long asleep. He sits in the dark dorm room, in their tiny kitchen eating the pizza and all that seems to be in Jihoon's mind is the flashback from earlier. Jihoon can't seem to stop thinking about his first life, and how despite the tragic ending of it, the last three years of his life were so full of love and happiness. He remembers all the times Woojin looked at his eyes and how every time Woojin stroked his cheek he felt so complete and loved. He thinks back at his second life too, and how despite him being friendzoned by the love of his life was still enough. How Woojin always made sure Jihoon was feeling safe and happy. And how every time Jihoon was feeling cold during the cold war nights the other would wrap his arms around him and make sure he was warm.

 

 

 _"They say my hugs can even heal hypothermia."_ he would joke and Jihoon would agree, because everytime Woojin's arms were around him he felt like his heart was on fire.

 

 

Jihoon wonders if it's too late to try. He wonders if he should forget his fear of everything going wrong and just go for it. But the growing headache reminds him that he is a fool for even thinking about trying. It was probably too late anyways. Jihoon wants to smash his head on the table as he thinks about the accident earlier and how weirded out Woojin probably was. 

 

 

"Can't sleep?" Jinyoung's voice is quiet and raspy and Jihoon flinches at the sound of his roommate walking to the kitchen.

 

 

"I was hungry." Jinyoung nodds at Jihoon's answer and grabs a glass of water.

 

 

"So, what's this Taehyun thing?" Jinyoung asks and Jihoon feels too tired to have this conversation at 2am.

 

 

"I don't like Taehyun like that, if that's what you're wondering."

 

 

"I know you don't." Jihoon raises a brow to his roommate who just laughs slightly.

 

 

"You like Woojin."

 

 

Jihoon knew he liked Woojin. How could he not fall for someone who he had loved for two lives already. How could he not fall for someone who made him feel at home everywhere he went.  But Jihoon was just scared. Scared and annoyed at how Woojin made him feel without even trying.

 

 

"I don't like Woojin." he lies and Jinyoung sees right through him.

 

 

"Keep telling yourself that." Jinyoung says before walking back to his bed to sleep and Jihoon is left alone in the dark kitchen again.

 

 

 

 

Jihoon doesn't even realize himself that he starts avoiding Woojin.

 

_Again._

 

But everytime Jihoon sees Woojin the flashback and the accident from Friday comes into his mind and Jihoon feels his cheeks burning from embarrassment. Jihoon also figures it's better to avoid Woojin until he gets his thoughts sorted out. His thoughts has been a mess ever since Woojin came back into Jihoon's life and Jihoon was sure he was close to losing his mind. Especially when he had Taehyun to deal with. Jihoon doesn't know what made him say yes to the birthday part invitation and Jihoon regrets even starting talking to the older boy who was way too interested in Jihoon.

 

 

"You're here again?" Jihoon is awaken from his thoughts on Tuesday when Woojin walks into the locker room where Jihoon was waiting for Taehyun who said he had something to say.

 

 

"Yeah. Taehyun had something to say." Jihoon keeps his voice quiet as he turns away to face the lockers to cover his flushed cheeks.

 

 

"You've been avoiding me again." Woojin notes while changing his shirt and Jihoon gulps hard.

 

 

"N-no I haven't." 

 

 

Woojin laughs at Jihoon stuttering.

 

 

"Y-you haven't told anyone about umm...that uhh.." Jihoon hates how unsure he sounds and how Woojin laughs slightly at Jihoon's embarrasement.

 

 

"About you having a boner because I fell on top of you? No, I haven't."

 

 

"Oh okay t-that's good uh.." Jihoon finally finds the courage to turn to face Woojin and regrets it immediately when he sees the smirk on Woojin's face.

 

 

"For the record, it wasn't because you fell on top of me it wasn't because of you at all I mean it wasn't anything like that-"

 

 

"Jihoon, it's fine. Accidents happen." Woojin says so effortlesly calm and Jihoon can't understand how Woojin can be so cool about the whole thing.

 

 

"Yeah. Accidents." Jihoon scratches the back of his head while glancing at the clock on the wall.

 

 

"Heard you are going to the birthday party after all." 

 

 

"Where did you heart that?"

 

 

"Taehyun was bragging about it. It was kinda gross seeing how excited he was." Woojin tells with a concerned expression and Jihoon sighs.

 

 

"I don't even know why I said yes." Jihoon confesses and Jihoon notices the glimpse of relief in Woojin's expression.

 

 

"Why did you agree to go if you don't even want to?" Woojin sneers as he walks closer to Jihoon and Jihoon sighs again.

 

 

"He's not an easy guy to say no to."

 

 

"Fair enough." Woojin breathes out, "I can help you to get out of this situation if you want."

 

 

Jihoon raises a brow.

 

 

"And why would you help me?"

 

 

"Because you clearly aren't really good at solving problems yourself." Woojin smiles and Jihoon laughs slightly.

 

 

"Thanks." Jihoon hits Woojin's shoulder slightly and Woojin's snaggle tooth peeks out of his mouth.

 

 

"But how exactly are you going to solve this?" Jihoon crosses his arms and Woojin puts his hand on his own chin to think.

 

 

"I don't actually know." Woojin laughs.

 

 

"Seems like you aren't the best problem solver as well." Jihoon laughs with Woojin before Woojin's expression changes and Jihoon can almost see the light bulb switch on in his head.

 

 

"Well there's one way."

 

 

"What is it?"

 

 

"Jihoonie!" Woojin's answer is cut off by the sound of Taehyun's voice from behind a row of lockers and Woojin glances back before taking a long breath.

 

 

"Okay don't freak out." Woojin is whispering and Jihoon glances at the boy with confusion written on his face.

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

"And don't move."

 

 

"Woojin what are you-"

 

 

Jihoon's words are cut off by Woojin's lips crashing on his own and Jihoon stumbles backwards but Woojin's hand finds it way on Jihoon's back and stop him from falling. The kiss was so unexpected that Jihoon doesn't even have time to close his eyes but he feels Woojin's lips moving against his own and before Jihoon can clearly understand what is going on his lids close shut and he is kissing Woojin back. Woojin's lips are soft and sweet just like Jihoon remembered and the way his lips move against Jihoon's is so familiar and Jihoon can feel himself drowning into the kiss. Jihoon's hands lay on Woojin's chest and Jihoon grabs bit of his shirt in his fists as Woojin's other hand cups Jihoon's face and Jihoon feels like he is drowning in an universe where it's just the two of them. Woojin bites Jihoon's lower lip just like he always had done and a quiet hum leaves Jihoon's mouth. Jihoon isn't sure how long the kiss lasts because it feels like an eternity to him and all Jihoon can think of is how he truly missed this. How he truly missed Woojin's lips on his own and how loved and warm he felt. But in reality the kiss doesn't last long and Jihoon's heart is beating so fast that he feels it's going to burst out of his chest as Woojin's breaks the kiss with a small peck on Jihoon's lips. Woojin's hand is still cupping Jihoon's cheek as the two of them back away from the kiss and Jihoon eyes Woojin's swollen lips while catching his breath.

 

Only heartbeats later Jihoon notices Taehyun behind Woojin, looking at the two of them with frowned brows.

 

 

"Oh sorry, you apparently had something to say to Jihoon?" Woojin's hand leaves Jihoon cheek as he turns around (his other hand is still at Jihoon's lower back) and Jihoon finally understands what was going on.

 

 

_This was Woojin's plan._

 

 

"No it's fine. You two....uh finish whatever you were doing." Taehyun's tone is deep and quiet but the older flashes a small shy smile before walking (fast) out of the locker rooms.

 

 

Jihoon can't move. His head can't seen to process the kiss and how it was just to get Taehyun to leave Jihoon alone.

 

 

"I think that will make him leave you alone." Woojin laughs and turns to look at Jihoon who just blankly stared at the spot Taehyun was just standing on.

 

 

"Jihoon?" Jihoon hears Woojin call for him but doesn't budge.

 

 

"Y-you just....kissed me." is all Jihoon manages to say and Woojin laughs nervously.

 

 

"Um yeah it was kinda part of my plan."

 

 

"That was your plan to make Taehyun leave me alone? Kissing me?" Jihoon doesn't know why his tone is getting higher and louder nor why he was feeling upset.

 

 

"You didn't realize that was the plan?" Woojin is as confused as Jihoon and Jihoon feels completely lost.

 

 

"How was I supposed to know that was your plan?!" Jihoon doesn't miss Woojin taking his hand off of Jihoon's back as Jihoon suddenly feels cold.

 

 

"Why did you kiss me back then?"

 

 

"What do you mean?"

 

 

"I thought you kissed me back because you realized it was the plan and just went along with it." Woojin's tone is calm and Jihoon feels his ears blushing.

 

 

_Oh shit._

 

 

"Jihoon." Woojin calls Jihoon's name after Jihoon doesn't say anything and Jihoon can feel Woojin standing close to him. Almost too close.

 

 

"Jihoon, why did you kiss me back?"

 

 

The growing headache reminds Jihoon that this is too much for him.

 

 

"I have to go." is all Jihoon says as he starts walking out of the dressing room, leaving a very confused Woojin alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwu i am back! I hope the chapter isn't too rushed ?? The ending is near so I had to rush things in the fic a little but I hope it still makes sense.  
> \- as always, feedback is appreciated!


	4. an update.

I felt like I need to update u all about this fic. 

Yes, I am going to finish this. As soon as I can. I'm currently busy with work but I have already written about half of the last chapter. I will post it in April!

Thank you for being patient and for liking my fic!


	5. final.

It was obvious for anyone that Jihoon wasn’t himself. Well, he hasn’t been himself since the day Woojin came back into his life actually. But Jihoon is sure he is about to go insane by this point. 

 

 

Not only is he being interrogated by his nosey roommate, but his thoughts were all messed up, replying what happened at that locker room. He thinks about the slightly awkward, but still so familiar jokingness in Woojin’s tone as he had offered to help Jihoon and he thinks about Woojin’s smile that he flashed to Jihoon after the kiss as Taehyun had rushed away from the locker room. And the kiss. The kiss alone could make Jihoon go insane. He can’t seem to forget the familiar taste of Woojin’s lips on his, or how Woojin had cupped his cheek just like it was meant to be there. Or the strong arm around his lower back that made Jihoon feel like he could just fall knowing that Woojin was there to catch him. But it was all so complicated and the aftermath of the kiss was too much to handle.

 

 

”Would you just please answer me!” Jihoon hears his roommate explode on the couch next to him and Jihoon looks up from the game on the tv screen.

 

 

”What happened? You’ve been weird since yesterday.” Jinyoung remarks and Jihoon can do nothing but sigh.

 

 

”Nothing.” Jihoon figures it’s best to just return back to his game and ignore Jinyoung until he would get tired of asking.

 

 

”Something must have happened. Daehwi said Woojin is acting weird too.” Jinyoung’s voice trails off as he gets up from the couch.

 

 

The dry feeling in Jihoon’s throat gets stronger and Jihoon coughs nervously as the thought of Woojin comes into his mind again. What if Woojin told Daehwi about the kiss? What if Woojin was weirded out about Jihoon kissing him back the way he did? 

 

 

He wonders if he should just quit being such a coward and confort Woojin. Talk things through, and maybe try to come up with an excuse to why he has been acting strange lately. He knows he can’t tell the whole truth to Woojin, because he wouldn’t believe him. No one would. But Jihoon feels guilty. Woojin deserved to know why Jihoon avoided Woojin so often and why he had been mean to him from the beginning. But at the same time Jihoon feels like the fear inside of him is too big. So he decides to wait a couple days. 

 

 

Or weeks.

 

 

Or months.

 

 

 

 

But Jihoon should have known better. He should have known that luck was never on his side.

 

 

He wasn’t sure at first, why everyone kept staring at him in the hallways as he made his way to class. He didn’t understand why his classmates flashed him a suspicious smile as he walked into the lecture hall. He would have asked his friends, but Jinyoung and Daehwi decided to skip the first class to catch up on some sleep. He  decided that maybe he was imagining things and put his concentration into the class.

 

 

But his confusion continued after the class as one of the guys in his class gave him a thumbs up and a wink and Jihoon was sure something was wrong. Something was really wrong.

 

 

So he does the one thing he really didn’t want to.

 

 

He decides to find Woojin. Because if his suspicion was right, Woojin was now in a big trouble.

 

 

Jihoon moves past the crowd of people in the hallway as he heads towards the part of the campus he knows the dance majors go to and looks for the one guy he really isn’t ready to see after what happened.

 

 

”Hey, what are you doing here?” Jihoon hears Daniel’s loud voice as he spots his friends and Woojin in a small group near the cafeteria. Jihoon’s eyes find Woojin the second he walks closer to the small group of guys and Jihoon feels like running away when a tiny smile appears on Woojin’s lips and Jihoon feels weak in the knees.

 

 

”Hi, mind if i borrow Woojin for a sec.” Jihoon says hastily before grabbing the hem of Woojin’s grey sweater and pulling him away from his friends. Woojin shots Jihoon a confused look but follows Jihoon.

 

 

”What’s up?” Woojin asks when the two of them turn around the corner as he leans on the wall.

 

 

Jihoon plays with his sleeves nervously, avoidin Woojin’s gaze that was clearly on him.

 

 

”Did you, by any chance, tell someone about what happened.” Jihoon feels too shy to lift his face but he can tell even without looking that Woojin starts to smile.

 

 

”Tell about what?”

 

 

”You know, what happened at the locker rooms.” Jihoon knows that Woojin knows exactly what he meant but he probably wanted to tease Jihoon.

 

 

”I’m not the type to go around and tell people who I make out with.” Woojin’s voice becomes quiet and Jihoon finally looks at the taller one and notices his shy smile.

 

 

”Well someone told people, because everyone keeps giving me glances and some random guy gave me thumbs up after class!”

 

 

”Well it wasn’t me. I swear.” Woojin says with a assuring tone and Jihoon believes him. He knows Woojin enough to know he wouldn’t go around telling people things like that.

 

 

”Who was it then?”

 

 

”Well there was another person in the locker room that day.” Jihoon raises his gaze to look at Woojin and understands immediately what he means.

 

 

”You two!” Jihoon’s words get cut off by Daehwi’s loud voice behind them and the two of the turn to look and see two of their friends walking, rather angrily, towards them.

 

 

”How dare you not to tell us! Is this how you treat your best friends? I can’t believe you two!” Daehwi’s tone is whiny and his arms are crossed as he stands in front of the two with Jinyoung next to him. Woojin and Jihoon glance at each other with a slightly confused look before turning to look at Daehwi.

 

 

”What did you hear?” Jihoon asks faster than he maybe intended to, but he was too curious to hear why he was getting all this attention from strangers in school.

 

 

”We heard everything about you two! I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you were dating.” Jinyoung steps into the conversation and Jihoon can barely believe his ears.

 

 

”Dating?!” Jihoon and Woojin are in sync as they both say the same thing with a similar tone before looking at each other and then at their friends.

 

 

”Uh we aren’t-”

 

 

”Yeah we don’t-”

 

 

Jihoon and Woojin take turns to mumble something as a response but they both don’t seem to get a proper sentence out of their mouths. Jihoon shyly glances at Woojin, trying to figure out what to say to their friends and noticed Woojin’s concerned expression.

 

 

”The rumour about you two making out in the locker room is all over the school.” Daehwi explains to the two confused boys.

 

 

”I was just trying to make Taehyun back away from Jihoon. I was helping him.” Woojin finally speaks out after moments of silence and Jihoon looks at Woojin with a warm expression as a thanks for explaining.

 

 

”It was just a plan to get Taehyun to leave Jihoon alone. Nothing else.” Woojin explains one more time and now it’s Daehwi’s and Jinyoung’s turn to look confused.

 

 

”Well the whole school seems to think you guys are dating. What are you going to do about that?” Jinyoung send his roommate a concerned look as Jihoon’s expression grows darker. 

 

 

”We’ll figure something out I guess?” Woojin speaks again and Jihoon feels like he’s frozen.

 

 

”Later. We’ll figure out something later.” Jihoon finally manages to get something out of his mouth as he glances at Woojin and then at his friends. Jihoon doesn’t miss the warm smile on Woojin’s lips and only moments later Jihoon excuses himself so he can go to class. Jinyoung and Daehwi follow him shortly after but Jihoon can only hear one thing in his head.

 

 

_”It was just a plan. Nothing else.”_

 

 

 

Jihoon spends the rest of the day trying to concentrate on his classes, but he has realized by now that it’s not possible. Nothing seems to be the same ever since Woojin was back in his life, especially after all that has happened already. And Jihoon can’t help but feel torn about the kiss in the locker room. He can’t seem to forget Woojin’s strong hands around his waist or his lips on his. But he also can’t forget how it all was a act for Woojin. And it felt so unfair how Jihoon’s mind tried to trick him to thinking that maybe, just maybe, it meant something else for Woojin. But as the Woojin’s words played on Jihoon’s head, Jihoon felt like the biggest fool. Because after all,

 

_It was just a plan. Nothing else._

 

 

 

 

\--

 

 

 

Days pass and Jihoon is pretty sure many people still think that he and Woojin are a thing. Jihoon can’t really blame the other people since neither of them have said anything to deny the rumours. During drama class an old friend of Jihoon had asked why Jihoon wasn’t seen hanging out with his boyfriend at all, to which all Jihoon could reply with was a weak smile and an awkward laugh. Jihoon hated to admit to himself how he deep down liked how people called Woojin his boyfriend. After all they didn’t really get to call each other that during Jihoon’s first life. But the society was different this time and people calling them boyfriends had a nice sound to it and it didn’t seem like a big deal to anyone. 

 

 

 

”So, how long are you going to let people call Woojin your boyfriend?” Jinyoung asks after they are done with their classes and they are back inside their dorm room.

 

 

”As Woojin said, we’ll figure something out.”

 

 

”It’s been days Jihoon. I’m starting to think you like being called boyfriends.” Jinyoung’s tone is teasing and Jihoon turn towards his bed to hide the subtle blush on his cheeks.

 

 

”It’s not like that.” Jihoon mumbles quietly and Jinyoung chuckles.

 

 

”What really happened in that locker room, Jihoon?”

 

 

”We kissed. But only because Taehyun wouldn’t leave me alone.” Jihoon says the obvious answer as he flops on his bed and takes out his phone charger from his bag.

 

 

”But it wasn’t just a plan to you, was it?” Jinyoung says after a moment of silence and Jihoon hated how well Jinyoung knew him. Jihoon stays quiet and think about what he’s supposed to say back, but Jihoon feels tired of acting. 

 

 

”I don’t know.” 

 

 

”I see.” Jinyoung’s tone is less teasing and more comforting this time and Jihoon’s mind feels lighter.

 

 

”Does Woojin know how you feel about the kiss?”

 

 

”I don’t even know myself how I feel, so how is he supposed to know?” Jihoon says with a loud sigh as he lays on his bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling like he’s going to regret having this conversation with his roommate.

 

 

”Well you know why you kissed him back, don’t you?”

 

 

_Yup, Jihoon is definitely going to regret this conversation._

 

 

”Y-yes.”

 

 

”And why did you?”

 

 

”You know why.” Jihoon isn’t brave enough to say it out loud and he hopes Jinyoung can understand that.

 

 

”Yes I do know but I want you to say it.”

 

 

”You know what, this conversation is over.” Jihoon stands up from his bed and Jinyoung laughs again.

 

 

”It’s simple Jihoon.” Jinyoung chuckles but Jihoon doesn’t feel like laughing at all.

 

 

”It’s not simple.”

 

 

”Why?”

 

 

”Because it’s Woojin.” Jihoon’s voice quiets down as he says Woojin’s name and Jihoon is one hundred prosent sure now that this conversation has been a mistake because he can feel the headache forming.

 

 

”And what’s so different about Woojin?” Jihoon nearly laughs at Jinyoung’s question because to Jihoon it was so obvious how everything has always been different about Woojin. From the moment he first saw him at the palace. From the moment Woojin showed interest to Jihoon who was just supposed to be a insignificant guard, and the fact how even in the messed up society during Jihoon’s first life the two managed to fall in love. And especially from the moment Woojin appeared back to Jihoon’s life over and over again, Jihoon knew Woojin was different. He knew everything about Woojin would be different the moment he saw him in front of his dorm room and the moment he felt Woojin’s lips on his own once again and how different yet familiar and right it felt. 

 

 

”Woojin is just, different.” Jihoon manages to say after a while as he starts making his way towards the door of their room to leave. Jihoon needed to breathe for a second and arrange his thoughts. The other side of him also felt like he needed someone to comfort him and listen. But the one person who managed to make Jihoon feel the safest was no other than the boy with the snaggle tooth. Despite Jihoon’s messy thoughts and the fact that Woojin would probably make them even messier if Jihoon spent time with him, he still felt like only Woojin could make him feel better. Jihoon needed to see Woojin. 

 

 

_Now._

 

Jihoon steps out of the dorm room and takes out his phone and he feels like he’s going insane, because before he can realize it he’s dialing Woojin’s number and pressing the ’call’ button. 

 

 

 _You’re absolutely insane_ , Jihoon says in his head to himself as he waits for the other one to pick up the phone.

 

 

 _”Jihoon?”_ he hears the familiar voice on the other side of the phone and Jihoon’s feels like his heart stopped beating for a few seconds.

 

 

”Are you busy?”

 

 

_”Um no? What’s going on?”_

 

 

”I need to see you. Right now.” Jihoon’s almost hits himself for sounding so desperate

 

 

_”Okay but why?”_

 

 

”It’s important.”

 

 

 _”Alright well let’s meet in front of the dorm building?”_ Jihoon is almost surprised at how willing Woojin is to see him.

 

 

”Okay, meet me there in 10.”

 

 

 _”Fine. Are you okay?”_ Woojin sounds concerned (atleast to Jihoon) and Jihoon’s lips turn into a small smile.

 

 

”Yeah I’m fine, just meet me there, okay?”

 

 

 _”Okay.”_ Jihoon can hear Woojin chuckle at the other side and Jihoon hangs up. Great, now he has 10 minutes to figure out an excuse to why he needed to see Woojin.

 

 

 

Woojin comes to their meeting spot a few minutes late but Jihoon still hasn’t come up with an excuse yet.

 

 

”Hi.” Woojin flashes Jihoon a small smile as he stands in front of Jihoon.

 

 

”Hey.” Jihoon eyes the taller one. He’s wearing a black hoodie with a denim jacket on top and his hair is fluffy and messy and Jihoon wonders if his call woke up Woojin from a nap or something.

 

 

”So, what’s up?” Woojin asks, raising a brow and putting his hands in his jacket’s pockets.

 

 

”Uh we need to talk.”

 

 

”About?”

 

 

”The rumours!” Jihoon says a little too loud and sounds a little too enthusiastic and Woojin breaks into a laugh.

 

 

”The rumours about you and me?”

 

 

”Yes. They are getting out of hand we need to figure out what to do.” Jihoon is talking way too fast and he is sounding way too nervous but Woojin doesn’t seem to mind. He just smiles and laughs and Jihoon tries not to smile too with everything he has.

 

 

”Alright.” Woojin casually says and Jihoon doesn’t know what to say next.

 

 

”Alright.” Jihoon repeats Woojin and looks at the ground, unsure about what to say next.

 

 

”Are you uh, hungry?”

 

 

”I guess.” Woojin’s tone is calm and Jihoon almost feels like his headache is cured.

 

 

”Good, me too. Let’s grab something while we figure out what to do with the rumours?” Jihoon asks almost too carefully and Woojin flashes him a small smile.

 

 

”Sounds good.” 

 

 

”Okay.”

 

 

 

They decide to head to the nearest cafe and Jihoon realizes he doesn’t regret calling Woojin, at all. A few weeks earlier he had tried to avoid Woojin, but now he almost felt stupid for doing so. Jihoon’s thoughts are cut off by Woojin’s laugh and Woojin’s gaze that he feels on himself.

 

 

”What?”

 

 

”Nothing, it’s just funny how last month you kept saying you hate me and now you asked me on a date.”

 

 

”What? This is not a date. Why would you think it’s a date? This is not a date we are just going to eat and talk abo-”

 

 

”Jesus christ, relax Jihoon. I was just joking.” Woojin laughs again and Jihoon feels dumb for freaking out about Woojin’s little joke.

 

 

”Good. Because this is not a date.”

 

 

”Right.”

 

 

 

 

Moments later they find a cafe to eat at and inevitably silence falls above them. Jihoon doesn’t seem to know what to say. And he can’t ignore the heart flattering feeling in his chest because he has never done this. He has never gone to a cafe with Woojin alone. It’s almost date-like just like Woojn had joked.

 

 

”So, has the rumour about us bothered you a lot?” Woojin breaks the silence as they star eating their sandwiches and drinking their drinks.

 

 

”Not really.” Jihoon admits and Woojin raises a brow, ”It’s just strange to hear people call you my b-boyfr-”

 

 

”Boyfriend?” Woojin cuts off Jihoon’s stuttery voice and Jihoon looks up from his food to see Woojin’s eyes on him.

 

 

”Yes. That.” Jihoon takes a sip from his mango juice and hears Woojin chuckle across the table.

 

 

”In that case we can just wait until Taehyun forgets about you and then we’ll just tell people we broke up.” Woojin suggests and Jihoon nods, even though he isn’t even listening to Woojin’s words to be honest. He wishes Woojin doesn’t notice his nervousness or that he doesn’t figure out that this whole rumour thing was just an excuse. After all, Jihoon just wanted to be around Woojin that night. It was Woojin’s aura that seemed to calm Jihoon. Jihoon curses at himself im his mind for not realizing it earlier and for all the times he had avoided Woojin. Maybe all the avoiding was the real reason Jihoon felt so tired and maybe it was the reason Jihoon’s thought were so messed up. 

 

 

Maybe all Jihoon needed was Woojin.

 

 

”So, what’s the real reason you called me here?” Woojin says after a while and Jihoon nearly flinces at the sound of his voice.

 

 

”What do you mean?” Jihoon tries his best to sound convincing, but it doesn’t seem to work because Woojin is laughing again.

 

 

”I know for a fact you didn’t randomly call me at 6pm on a Thursday just to talk about something that doesn’t even bother you that much.” Woojin’s strong gaze is on Jihoon and Jihoon knows that even without lifting his own gaze from his food. Jihoon decides staying quiet is better that saying another silly excuse, so that’s what he does.

 

 

”If you just wanted to hang out you can just say so. I don’t mind. I’m the one who wanted to be friends, remember?” Woojin’s voice is soft and friendly and Jihoon hated how easy it is for him to make Jihoon’s heart feel shaky.

 

 

”Fine. I felt like hanging out with you. You happy now?” Jihoon doesn’t know what makes him say it but he does anyway and regrets it immediately as he sees Woojin’s smug and proud smile. 

 

 

”See. That wasn’t that hard to say, was it.” Woojin’s tone goes back to teasing mode and Jihoon groans slightly before taking a sip from his drink.

 

 

”Thanks for giving me a chance.” Woojin smiles and Jihoon breaks into a quiet laugh.

 

 

”You’re welcome, I guess.”

 

 

”Do you wanna go to a internet cafe after this and play games?” Jihoon raises a brow at Woojin’s rather bold suggestion but nods shortly after.

 

 

 

Maybe Jihoon wouldn’t regret this after all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And perhaps the hanging out with Woojin becomes a regular thing. Well, Jihoon isn’t really sure if it’s considered regular or occasional. What he does know, is that it isn’t that bad. Although Woojin still makes Jihoon’s thoughts messy and unclear. They don’t mention the kiss at all, which Jihoon kinda wishes they would. Jihoon is pretty sure Woojin still doesn’t know why Jihoon had kissed him back that day. But maybe he didn’t need to know. Maybe they can be friends again in this life too. But Jihoon hates the thought of being just a friend with a boy that he had loved for two lives already. But a part of Jihoon doesn’t mind.

He doesn’t mind Woojin flashing a smile when they see each other in the hallways. He doesn’t mind it when Woojin texts him out of the blue to ask him if he wants to eat. Sometimes his head gets filled with doubt and fear about if getting closer with Woojin again is a smart thing to do. Because Jihoon knows better than anyone else what it feels like to have one-sided feelings and what it’s like to lose someone you care about more than anyone else. 

 

 

 

”Oh c’mon!” Woojin’s yell echoes in the empty dorm room as Jihoon steers his baby toad to the finish line and come in first.

 

 

”Told you I was good at mario kart.” Jihoon laughs as he stretches his arms and back.

 

 

”I mean you could have let me win at least once.” Woojin whines and throws the controller lightly on the pillow next to him.

 

 

”Losing on purpose is lame.”

 

 

”You’re lame.”

 

 

”And so are your comebacks.” Jihoon chuckles while standing up from the floor.

 

 

”Want another one?” Jihoon asks moments later as he offers Woojin another can of beer and Woojin takes it from Jihoon’s hand.

 

 

”You’re so different from what I thought.” Woojin suddenly says as Jihoon sits next to him on the floor with another beer as well.

 

 

”Huh?”

 

 

”I don’t know, I just didn’t think you would be the kind of guy who’s favorite mario character is baby toad and who whines like a baby when something doesn’t go right.”

 

 

”Excuse you when have I ever whined like a baby?” Woojin laughs at the way Jihoon’s raises his voice.

 

 

”You do it at least four times a day.” Woojin takes a sip from his beer and Jihoon sighs with a smile.

 

 

”Well what did you think I would be like then?”

 

 

”More intense.”

 

 

”I can be intense.” Jihoon’s tone gets a little higher and Woojin laughs again at the now slightly embarrassed Jihoon. Jihoon glances at the taller one and maybe stares a little too deep into his eyes. The eyes that looked so warm and welcoming, and familiarly comforting.

 

 

 

> _”Look at me.” Woojin’s voice was soft yet still demanding but Jihoon felt embarrassed to look at the other one in the eyes. He felt too vulnerable._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”Jihoon please, look at me.” his voice got softer and Jihoon managed to finally lift his gaze to meet Woojin’s eyes._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”It’s them, not you. Do you hear me? You did nothing wrong.” Woojin’s hand had found it’s way to softly stroke Jihoon’s cheek and to wipe the falling tears from his eyes. Jihoon’s can’t help but flinch at the touch of Woojin’s hand on his cheek and for a second Woojin takes his hand away, but puts it back on Jihoon’s cheek shortly after._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _Jihoon takes a second to review what had happened that day. He had been reading his book on his bunk bed when suddenly a group of their troop mates had started yelling awful insults to him about a rumour that had spread in the army.  Jihoon didn’t understand what was so wrong about a man loving a man or how had the others even found out about it. Jihoon had been sure the insults would have slowly turned into punches if Woojin hadn’t walked in and pulled him outside._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”Please stop crying Jihoon.” Jihoon hated how sad Woojin sounded and it made him feel guilty for crying._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”I’m okay. You don’t need to do this.” Jihoon managed to say after a while as he grabbed Woojin’s hand to put it away._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”No. You are my best friend and I am always going go be here for you.” Woojin’s voice got slightly louder and firmer and Jihoon flinched slightly at the power of his voice._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”I care about you.” Woojin’s tone gets softer again as he pulled Jihoon into a hug and before Jihoon knows it he’s hugging Woojin back with more tears flowing from his eyes._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _”It’s going go be alright.” Woojin’s soft voice whispered to Jihoon’s ear, ”I’ll protect you if they dare to attack you like that again.” Woojin backs away from the hug to smile at Jihoon and Jihoon can’t help but smile back. Jihoon’s eyes wander to Woojin’s lips and oh, how he wanted to just kiss the boy he loved the most. But he was too afraid to ruin their friendship and he was too afraid Woojin would end up hating him just like others did. So he just flashed Woojin another smile before they hugged again._
> 
>  
> 
>  

”You’re doing it again.” Woojin’s voice wakes Jihoon up from his memoirs and Jihoon blinks rapidly while looking at Woojin, a slightly confused expression on his face.

 

 

”Doing what?”

 

 

”Spacing out.” Woojin laughs slightly and Jihoon just smiles shyly at that. Jihoon had to admit he probably did look spaced out whenever he had his memoirs playing like a movie in his head. He wished he could share them with Woojin. He wished Woojin remembered all the memoirs too.

 

 

”Your mind seems like a mystery.” Woojin’s hand playfully hits Jihoon’s head and Jihoon scratches the spot Woojin had just touched before laughing.

 

 

”If only you knew how messed up my thoughts are.” Jihoon breaks their eye contact and glances at the carpet instead.

 

 

”Oh yeah?”

 

 

”Yup.” Jihoon breaths out before grabbing the wii controller in his hands. He looks at Woojin again, and he knows Woojin still has something to say.

 

 

”So, wanna lose to me one more time?” Jihoon decides it’s better to not talk about his messy thoughts (especially with the boy who just happens to make them messy) and throws the other controller towards Woojin before starting another round of Mario kart.

 

 

”No. I’m winning this time.” Woojin swallows whatever question he had in his mind and grabs the contoller instead with a smug smile.

 

 

”I doubt it.”

 

 

 

Even after Woojin leaves that night (after losing two more rounds to Jihoon), Jihoon’s mind is busy circling around Woojin. Jihoon manages to even think about the fact that perhaps all this hanging out is making things worse. But before that thought get any more power in Jihoon’s thoughts, a beep from his phone caughts his attention. It’s a message.

 

 

And it’s from Woojin.

 

 

**P.Woojin**

_11:57pm_

If you ever wanna talk about those messed up thoughts u have, know that I can always listen.

 

Jihoon smiles at his phone screen. Even during his third life Woojin managed to stay as the caring boy he always was. 

 

 

**Hoonie**

_11:59pm_

Okay. thanks.

 

 

**P.Woojin**

_0:03am_

:-)

 

 

One thing Jihoon was sure about, was that him and Woojin being friends was good. Not as good as being more than friends (which Jihoon tried not to imagine for his own sake), but it was better than all the avoiding Jihoon had been doing. Even their friends seemed to be happy about it, especially Daehwi.

 

 

”Look you two. Getting along, having fun.” Daehwi had said on a Sunday night at his and Woojin’s dorm room when Jinyoung and Jihoon had come to watch a movie.

 

 

”Shut up.” Jihoon and Woojin had said at the same time to which Daehwi just laughed while snuggling next to Jinyoung.

 

 

One thing Jihoon couldn’t ignore how his headaches that seemed to nearly disappear. Sure, he had them everytime memoirs came into his head but it wasn’t as bad as before. He wondered if the headaches was the world’s sick plan to make Jihoon realize his life would be painful without Woojin. But how could it. After all Jihoon still felt like he and Woojin weren’t meant to be. So he treasured the new friendship, afraid of everything turning bad if he even tried to get closer to Woojin.

 

 

”Aw Jihoon, you didn’t need to come to see me again.” Jihoon hears Seongwu’s teasing tone coming from his left as he sees the tall guy walk from the dancehall on a Tuesday evening. 

 

 

”Don’t get your hopes up. Sadly, I’m here to see someone else.” Jihoon says back with a smirk which makes the older one chuckle.

 

 

”We know. Everyone in our class knows you always hang out with Woojin after dance class.” Daniel’s head pops out from behind Seongwu as he smiles at Jihoon (who’s trying his best not to blush at the comment). 

 

 

Jihoon opens his mouth to answer but Woojin bursting out of the room cuts him off. Jihoon doesn’t even get to say hi before Woojin makes his way (rather fast) inside the locker rooms. Jihoon manages to see Woojin’s expression, and it’s not good.

 

 

”Is he okay?”

 

 

”I don’t know. Taehyun cancelled his solo performance at the show we’re doing in a week.”

 

 

”What? But he’s been working on it for months.” Jihoon remembers Woojin telling him about the solo performance and how excited he was. Jihoon even managed to make Woojin show a tiny part of it. 

 

 

 

> _”I’m shy!” Woojin had said but Jihoon just laughed._
> 
>  
> 
> _”Woojin, you need to show it to hundreds of people. I’m sure showing a tiny bit to one person isn’t that bad.”_
> 
>  
> 
> _”Fine.” Woojin had growled annoyed before turning on the music from his phone and showing a short snippet of his choreo to Jihoon. Jihoon eyed all the turns and all the strong movements Woojin did. He could see the sparkle of passion in Woojin’s eyes as he made sure to make every move complete and sharp. He couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the dance, and Woojin._
> 
>  
> 
> _”It looks so good.” Jihoon had said as he clapped after Woojin paused the music._
> 
>  
> 
> _”Really?”_
> 
>  
> 
> _”Yes! It looked like the choreo had a story.” Jihoon eyed Woojin’s expression getting happier and happier as Jihoon commented the dance._
> 
>  
> 
> _”It does actually have a story.” Woojin had said with a shy smile and Jihoon’s lips turned into a smile._
> 
>  
> 
> _”Really? What’s the story?”_
> 
>  
> 
> _”I’ll tell you when you see the whole dance at the show.” Woojin had said with a smirk._

 

 

”Yeah. Taehyun gave the solo performance to Donghan. Woojin seemed pretty upset.” Seongwu comments and Jihoon can feel the anger inside him raising. He remembers Woojin’s warnings about Taehyun and how petty he could be. Maybe this was his way to revenge after seeing Woojin and Jihoon in the locker rooms that one night.

 

 

”Excuse me.” Jihoon is sure he shouldn’t do this, but before he realizes what he’s doing, he’s marching into the dance room to find Taehyun.

 

 

”Oh Ji-”

 

 

”Why did you cancel Woojin’s solo performance?” Jihoon cuts off Taehyun and Taehyun gives Jihoon a confused stare.

 

 

”He has been working on it for months. I don’t know if you did it because you were angry about what you saw at the locker rooms but this is unacceptable.” Jihoon can feel his tone rising and the heat on his ears from getting angry.

 

 

”Woah woah. You really think I cared that much about you? I didn’t cancel his solo because of that.” Taehyun sounds way too confident and proud of himself and Jihoon can feel the anger inside him raising again.

 

 

”And you defending your boyfriend here like this isn’t helping, so I advice you go away.” Taehyun continues as he stares at Jihoon blankly.

 

 

”Fuck you.” Jihoon says with a strong but a slightly shaky voice.

 

 

”What did you say to me?”

 

 

”Jihoon.” Jihoon turns around at the sound of Woojin’s voice behind him. 

 

 

”Let’s go Jihoon.” Woojin says, more gently this time and Jihoon can’t help but walk towards the boy as he sees his slightly teary eyes.

 

 

”Tell your boyfriend not to come into my dance class ever again.” Taehyun screams at Woojin as the two of them leave.

 

 

They walk in complete silence for a while, and Jihoon feels like he did something wrong. He wonders if Woojin is mad at him.

 

 

”Why did you do that?” Woojin breaks the silence and Jihoon flinces at the sound of the taller one’s voice.

 

 

”I just....didn’t think it was fair for him to cancel your solo like that.” Jihoon keeps his voice quiet and gentle as possible, in case Woojin is mad.

 

 

”It’s Taehyun. That’s what he does sometimes.” 

 

 

”But it isn’t right. You worked really hard on the solo performance.” Jihoon stops walking to look at his friend in the eye. Woojin sighs deeply as he looks at Jihoon as well.

 

 

”Thanks.” Woojin’s mouth turns into a shy smile and Jihoon can’t help but smile too,”that was the first time I saw you be angry at anyone.” 

 

 

Jihoon smiles wider when he hears Woojin’s laugh.

 

 

”Well I tend to lose my temper easily.” Jihoon scratches the back of his head as Woojin’s smile grows wider.

 

 

”You do look like the type who would punch someone easily.”

 

 

”I would never punch someone. Violence is not my thing, sorry.” Jihoon whines as the two of the continue walking towards Woojin’s and Daehwi’s dorm room.

 

 

”Didn’t you kick Jinyoung for stealing a piece of your chicken the other day though?”

 

 

”Well that was because Jinyoung’s a brat _AND_ a thief.”

 

 

”That makes no sense, but I guess that’s understandable.” Woojin makes a weird (but cute) noise while laughing and Jihoon feels his heart skip a beat.

 

 

”Glad we understand each other.” Jihoon offers Woojin another smile to which Woojin answers with another of his smiles that Jihoon felt like he could look at forever.

 

 

 

It comes automatic for them how they head towards Woojin’s and Daehwi’s dorm room and order pizza. Jihoon can’t help but admit to himself how he likes it. Just him and Woojin hanging out. Jihoon glances at the other boy as he takes another bite of his pizza and Woojin catches Jihoon’s gaze and answers with a stare and a tiny smile that Jihoon doesn’t miss. Jihoon can feel his cheeks heat up and he decides that perhaps staring at the room is a better option that staring at the ridiculously handsome face in front of him. A small notebook on the coffee table catches Jihoon’s eye and Jihoon picks it up.

 

 

”Is this your diary or something?” he asks with a grin and Woojin laughs.

 

 

”Kinda. It’s a dream diary.”

 

 

”A dream diary?”

 

 

”Yeah, I write down my dreams on it. Helps with figuring them out a lot.” Woojin explains and takes the notebook gently from Jihoon’s hands.

 

 

”Look. Here I write the night I had the dream and here are just some keywords of things I remember.”

 

 

Jihoon follows Woojin’s finger as he points on one of the pages and nods slightly.

 

 

”You dream a lot.” Jihoon points out as he notices how only the few last pages are empty as Woojin goes through the pages.

 

 

”Yeah. My dreams used to mess up me a lot when I was a kid so I had to figure out something.” Woojin flashes another smile to Jihoon as he hands back that notebook.

 

 

”Is it okay if I look?” Jihoon asks carefully but Woojin is already smiling.

 

 

”Sure. I don’t mind.”

 

 

Jihoon flips through the pages of scribbles and words. He eyes the hurried writing and the how some words are written bigger than others.

 

 

_Firework._

 

_River._

 

_Boy._

 

 

Jihoon flips the page and sees more.

 

 

_Pen._

 

_Table._

 

_Boy._

 

”What does ’boy’ mean? You have it on every page.”

 

 

”Some boy has been in my dreams ever since I was a kid. I never remember his face when I wake up though.” Woojin explains, his mouth full of pizza while taking his phone from his pocket.

 

 

Jihoon nodds and continues reading the pages.

 

_Bed._

 

_Hand._

 

_Boy._

 

 

Jihoon starts feeling the distant banging in his head and it’s then, that he realizes. He flips a few more pages and Jihoon can’t believe it.

 

 

Woojin’s dreams are just memoirs. 

 

 

But Woojin doesn’t know it.

 

 

He thinks they are just dreams. But Jihoon is certain. Jihoon is certain this is the universe’s sick way of reminding Woojin of his past lifes. And of Jihoon. 

 

 

Jihoon flips one more page and feels his hand starting to shake.

 

_Red._

 

_Blue._

 

_Boy._

 

 

The red and blue robes. The night Woojin made Jihoon wear that damn robe during his first life.

 

 

Jihoon can feel the headache becoming worse and he remembers he had left his meds home.

 

 

”I uh, need to leave.” is what Jihoon decides to say as he pushes the notebook away and stands up.

 

 

”Huh?” Woojin stares up at Jihoon from the couch with a confused look and Jihoon feels like he can’t even look at Woojin right now. Not when he feels like he’s about to start crying any second.

 

 

”I’m sorry.” Jihoon takes his backpack from the floor and starts heading towards the door but he feels a hand on his wrist.

 

 

”If you’re going to start avoiding me again tomorrow, then don’t you dare leave.” Woojin’s voice is strong but he sounds upset and Jihoon can’t help but feel like an absolute fool.

 

 

”What’s going on? Do you need something? Did I upset you?” Woojin sounds genuinely sad and Jihoon hates himself for making Woojin feel like this is his fault. When in reality it’s because of Jihoon and his stupid, fucked up thoughts.

 

 

”D-do you have pain killers?” Jihoon finds the courage to ask after what feels like an hour long silence.

 

 

”Yeah we do. Do you want some?” Jihoon hates how soft and affectionate Woojin’s voice sounds and Jihoon pinches his thigh in order to not to break down right there and then.

 

 

”Yes please.” Jihoon sounds weak and Woojin moves quickly into the bathroom to take some painkillers and Jihoon sits back down on the couch. It takes Woojin only a few seconds before he is back at the couch with the painkillers and a glass of water.

 

Jihoon mutters a quiet ’thanks’ before gulping down the pill and Woojin chuckles.

 

 

”You’re so dumb sometimes.” Jihoon raises his brow at the other’s weird remark.

 

 

”I honestly thought I made you mad again and you freaked out just because you had a headache?” Woojin explains and Jihoon can’t help but smile, even though he knows that the headache was not why he reacted that way. Jihoon looks at the other boy sitting next to him and flashes him a shy smile. 

 

 

 _”If only he knew.”_ Jihoon thinks. If Woojin knew everything would be so much easier. And after all the lives Jihoon had lived and lost was it that bad to want an easy and a comfortable life?

 

 

”By the way the story behind my solo performance was the dreams. Well the boy in them and how I have never managed to even figure out what he looks like.” Woojin says after a minute of silence and Jihoon just nods. 

 

 

 _”But I’m right here.”_ Jihoon wants to scream, but he can’t. All he can do is nod and offer Woojin a small smile. But despite the weird empty and sad feeling that’s deep inside Jihoon’s fragile mind and heart, he still feels content about how Woojin is there. Next to him. Smiling and being the most wonderful person Jihoon could even ask for. Jihoon looks into the deep pair of eyes on Woojin’s face and he can’t ignore the fluttering feeling inside him anymore.

 

 

Once again, Jihoon was utterfly and completely in love with Park Woojin.

 

 

 

 

And as Jihoon had predicted, loving Woojin wasn’t easy. It never was. It was not easy the first time when they both had to hide their love from others. And it wasn’t easy the second time when Jihoon had to hide _his_ love for the boy. 

 

 

So when the third time Jihoon ended up loving the guy named Park Woojin, he shouldn’t have been surprised when it seemed harder than ever. But Jihoon wasn’t even sure why. There weren’t as much restrictions in the society. But maybe it was hard because it was Woojin. It was the same, sweet and caring yet dorky and teasing Park Woojin. 

 

 

Jihoon hated how easy it was for Woojin to put his strong arms around Jihoon when they watched TV or how it seemed like nothing for him to pinch Jihoon’s cheeks and tease him with that cute glimpse in his eyes. Because for Jihoon it was everything else but easy. Loving Woojin wasn’t easy and Jihoon knew that better than anyone.

 

 

”Hey! What are you doing here?” Jihoon hears Woojin say next to him when he’s wandering in the school halls on a Thursday morning.

 

 

”Daniel borrowed a game from me. I’m here to take it back.” Jihoon explains. Woojin chuckles and Jihoon takes a glimpse of the famous snaggletooth.

 

 

”I see. Well, let’s find him together I might know where he is.” Woojin is already placing his hand on Jihoon’s shoulders which Jihoon knows he’s doing in a friendly matter. Jihoon can’t help but glance around him and look at the expressions of the students. After all, the school still thought they were a couple. 

 

 

It doesn’t take long before Woojin leads them to a classroom where Jihoon spots the game thief.

 

 

”Oi Kang Daniel! Heard you borrowed something from Jihoon and never returned it.” Woojin says like it’s an announcement and Daniel turns to look at the two of them.

 

 

”Oh yeah! Sorry it’s in my room, I’ll give it back later?” Daniel says while he walks lazily towards the fake campus _”couple”_ and shoots the two of them a wide smile.

 

 

”Please remember to return it.” Jihoon says and Daniel ruffles his hair with a chuckle.

 

 

”Are you two coming to the house warming party on Saturday by the way?” Daniel asks right before Woojin and Jihoon start to leave.

 

 

”Donghan moved to an apartment. He said to invite as many people as I can so if you two are free, you should come!” Daniel continues with a smile and Woojin looks at Jihoon next to him. 

 

 

”Well I’m free. Are you?” Jihoon hears Woojin ask and Jihoon knows he probably shouldn’t. Nothing good happens at parties, ever. But before Jihoon can process anything in his head, he is already nodding to Woojin and Daniel.

 

 

”Great! I’ll text you the details, and you can invite your roommates too!” Daniel says maybe a little too excited before Jihoon and Woojin leave the classroom to head to their own classes.

 

 

”You sure you wanna go?” Woojin asks Jihoon before they part ways in the hallway.

 

 

”I heard from Daehwi you aren’t really a party person.” he continues and Jihoon wonders how much exactly has Daehwi and Jinyoung told about him to Woojin.

 

 

”Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll have many friends going there too.” Jihoon gives a comforting smile to the taller one and Woojin’s lips form into a wide smile. Maybe a little too wide smile.

 

 

”What?” Jihoon asks with a confused tone as Woojin’s smile grows wider.

 

 

”You just called me your friend for the first time.” Woojin’s voice is shy and quiet but loud enough for Jihoon to hear him.

 

 

”Well that’s what we are. Friends.”

 

 

”Yeah. That’s what we are.” Woojin says with the same wide smile before waving Jihoon goodbye ans heading towards his class. Jihoon stays in place for a minute. 

 

 

He sighs.

 

 

_Friends._

 

 

 

\--

 

 

”Oh my god Jihoon! Can we leave already? You look fine.” Jinyoung groans from the living room. Saturday had come faster than perhaps Jihoon had expected and it had been Friday night when Jihoon realized he had nothing to wear. He could have borrowed Jinyoung’s clothes but the boy was too damn tall so everything looked too big on Jihoon. So when Saturday evening came, Jihoon found himself absolutely confused in front of the pile of clothes he owned.

 

 

”Okay okay! I’m ready.” Jihoon finally shouts to his now very annoyed roommate as he walks to the living room with his black jeans and his white knitted sweater while putting on his denim jacket.

 

 

”So, trying to impress Woojin huh?”

 

 

”Shut up.” Jihoon gives Jinyoung a tiny push as he walks past him to the door to put on his shoes. Jihoon may or may have not told Jinyoung one night (when he had had too many beers) that he perhaps was just slightly in love with Woojin. Which was a mistake to be honest because the other one wouldn’t stop teasing him about it.

 

 

”Remember not to drink too much. Knowing your drunk self, you will end up confessing your feelings for Woojin.” Jinyoung says quietly as they walk outside towards the bus stop. 

 

 

”Yeah yeah, I know. I wont touch anything with alcohol in it.” Jihoon sighs as they get closer to the bus stop. Jihoon knows he’s not the best when it comes to drinking. And he know it’s most definitely not wise to get drunk at a party your friendzoned crush is at. 

 

 

 

 

 

But of course, Jihoon is always unlucky. He should know that by now. Because when Woojin arrives to Donghan’s new apartment with Daehwi, he’s wearing black tight and ripped jeans with a black dress shirt and a wine red leather jacket, and Jihoon knows he wont survive this night without alcohol. Especially when he notices Taehyun in the living room talking with Donghan.

 

 

”Why is he here?” Jihoon asks Jinyoung and Jinyoung just shurgs.

 

 

”Well good thing he isn’t interested in you anymore.” Jinyoung points out and Jihoon nods before taking a sip from his first can of beer.

 

 

”Except that he’s walking towards us.” Jinyoung adds quickly and Jihoon quickly turns his attention towards the said boy who was walking towards them while keeping his eyes on Jihoon.

 

 

”Oh dear lord help me.” Jihoon blurts out before Taehyun is close enough to hear him.

 

 

”Hello Jihoon.” Taehyun greets him and Jihoon can see Jinyoung slowly backing away.

 

 

_That bastard._

 

 

”Hi.” is all Jihoon says before taking another sip of his drink.

 

 

”Listen, I wasn’t the nicest the other day.”

 

 

”The day that you cancelled Woojin’s solo performance for no good reason?” Jihoon adds with a cold tone and Taehyun nearly flinches at the sound of it.

 

 

”Well yeah that day. I didn’t mean to be mean like that.” Taehyun starts getting way too close and Jihoon can feel the small panic inside of him growing as he starts glancing around for help. His eyes meet Woojin’s and Jihoon feels already calmer as Woojin starts walking towards them.

 

 

”So how are you and Woojin? Any fights yet?” Jihoon can smell the beer from Taehyun’s breath and he feels sick. Sick and slightly scared.

 

 

”N-no we are...uh fine um w-we-”

 

 

”Hey babe.” Jihoon feels a strong arm behind his lower back as Woojin stands beside him while flashing a smile to Jihoon and a fierce glare to Taehyun. Jihoon blushes from the word that Woojin just used to call him, but it’s all just an act to get Taehyun leave Jihoon alone, hopefully for the rest of the night. But Jihoon can’t help but imagine how nice it would be for Woojin to call Jihoon ’babe’ all the time.

 

 

”Oh hi Woojin.” Taehyun’s tone is cold and the flirty look on his eyes fades away. 

 

 

”Hello Taehyun.” Jihoon looks as the two boys stare at each other intensively, almost like fighting each other with their eyes.

 

 

”Um Woojin, can you come to the kitchen with me real quick?” Jihoon asks when he feels like the air between Woojin and Taehyun is getting too serious and Woojin breaks the eye contact with Taehyun and flashes Jihoon a smile.

 

 

”Yeah, sure.” Woojin is all smiley, probably because he feels like he had just won over Taehyun and Jihoon wants to wipe that proud smile of his face. 

 

 

”Thanks for saving me there.” Jihoon thanks as they walk to the kitchen.

 

 

”Yeah of course, gosh I can’t believe Taehyun is like that.” Woojin sounds angry but at the same time concerned as he looks at Jihoon.

 

 

”Are you alright?” he asks and Jihoon can’t help but chuckle.

 

 

”Yeah, he was just being little creepy that’s all.”

 

 

”I can’t believe Donghan invited him here.” Woojin’s tone is back to sounding angry and Jihoon eyes Woojin’s expression and how upset he looks.

 

 

”Hey, it’s alright. I got you, don’t I. You’ll keep him away from me.” Jihoon smiles and Woojin turns to look at his friend to smile back.

 

 

”Damn right I will. Call me Park Protector from now on.” 

 

 

”Ew no.”

 

 

”Okay maybe don’t” Woojin laughs and Jihoon laughs with him. 

 

 

”You look good by the way.” Woojin blurts out like it’s nothing and Jihoon nearly chokes on his spit.

 

 

”I uh what?!”

 

 

”The sweater. It looks great on you.” Woojin explains in more detail and Jihoon feels the blush on his cheeks.

 

 

”Oh. Well you look uh, great too.” Jihoon didn’t intend to sound like a shy school boy in front of his crush. Even though he was just that, a shy boy in front of his crush.

 

 

”Thanks!” Woojin smiles and Jihoon absolutely hates how easy it seems to Woojin to just compliment each other like that. Because Jihoon feels like his heart could burst right now and Woojin looks like it’s as easy as breathing. Meanwhile Jihoon isn’t sure if he can breathe properly at all with Woojin standing in front of him like that. Looking like god himself. Jihoon literally needs to drag himself out of the ” _i’m so in love with Woojin”_ world he has going on his head as he finally manages to move from his spot.

 

 

”Should we uh, go?” he offers shyly as he slowly walks past Woojin, his body moving towards the other people.

 

 

”Yup!” Woojin’s tone is cheery as always and Jihoon feels himself drowning back into the _”Woojin world”_ as Woojin puts his arm around Jihoon.

 

 

This was going to be a long night and Jihoon was so not ready for it.

 

 

 

 

 

”How in the world can he afford this place?” Daehwi says a little over an hour later as the four of them plus Daniel and Seongwu sit on the couch while enjoying their drinks.

 

 

”His parents are rich.” Jihoon remarks as he takes a sip of his second beer that night. Jihoon is aware of the warning looks Jinyoung is giving him as he watched his roommate finish his beer and Jihoon gives him a small ” _I’ll be fine”_ look. After all, he knows it damn too well he wouldn’t survive this night sober. Because Jihoon is very aware of Woojin sitting next to him by the way his thigh is closely touching Jihoon’s because of the lack of space. Jihoon is also aware how Woojin is no longer wearing his jacket and how he has unbuttoned some buttons on his shirt. 

 

 

”You okay?” he hears Woojin almost whispering to him. 

 

 

“Yeah.” Jihoon sighs as he answers the boy next to him. He doesn’t look at him though. He isn’t brave enough to. Jihoon spots Donghan greeting someone at the door and how the person who just arrived starts glancing around the house before his eyes spot Jihoon and his friends in the living room.

 

 

“No way.” Jihoon then hears Woojin next to him go before he stands up and walks over to the boy who had just arrived. Jihoon doesn’t understand what’s happening, especially when he sees Woojin hugging the man at the door. 

 

 

“Who’s that?” Jihoon asks quickly his friends around him, hoping that one of them could explain why Woojin was hugging a total stranger.

 

 

“Oh that? He’s Ahn Hyungseop. Woojin’s ex.” Daehwi says like it’s nothing and Jihoon nearly chokes on his third beer.

 

 

 _Of course._ Of course Woojin had an ex that just happened to be here too. Jihoon is sure at this point that the universe hates his guts because why else would this be happening.

 

 

He glances at the two boys at the door talking and laughing and Jihoon feels a sting in his chest. He knows way too well what the sting means but he tries to ignore it.

 

 

“Hey guys. This is Hyungseop! Hyungseop, you remember Daehwi, right?” Woojin comes back into the living room with the raven haired boy and Jihoon hates how wide the smile on Woojin’s face is. 

 

 

“Hi!” the boy greets the group of friends with a shy smile and Jihoon feels the urge to take a huge sip from his beer.

 

 

Woojin goes around to introduce his friends to Hyungseop and Jihoon really isn’t in the mood to make some new friends so he excuses himself to the bathroom before Woojin can introduce him to Hyungseop.

 

 

“Oh and that’s Jihoon.” Jihoon hears Woojin laughs behind him as he walks to the bathroom with heavy steps.

 

 

 

 

 

For Jihoon’s misfortune (once again), Hyungseop and Woojin were glued to each other for the rest of the night.

 

 

“They probably have a lot of catching up to do.” Jinyoung had tried to comfort Jihoon as Jihoon had expressed his annoyance to his roommate. Jihoon was now drinking his fifth, or sixth beer. He wasn’t really sure at this point, and to be honest he didn’t really care.

 

 

“Jihoon I get that you’re jealous, but can you please stop drinking?” Jinyoung begs the shorter one when Jihoon opens a new can of beer.

 

 

“I’m not jealous.” Jihoon’s says after taking a big sip of his beer, his eyes firmly on the two boys chatting on the couch.

 

 

“Please, you’ve been giving them death stares for a while now.”

 

 

“That doesn’t mean I’m jealous.” Jihoon states.

 

 

“Who’s jealous?” Daehwi comes back from the bathroom and Jinyoung and Jihoon nearly flinch.

 

 

“No one.” Jihoon and Jinyoung say in unison and Daehwi gives the two a sceptical look.

 

 

“Tell me Daehwi, how long did Woojin and Hyungseop go out for?” Jihoon doesn’t even have time to process what he’s asking before he asks it. 

 

 

“I don’t know, maybe for 6 months? They were childhood friends before that though, so they remained as friends even after breaking up.” Daehwi explains and Jihoon listens closely as he keeps glaring at two particular boys who were still chatting and laughing on the couch.

 

 

“I see.” Jihoon notices how Hyungseop pats Woojin on the shoulder mid-laughter and Jihoon gives the already half empty beer can a squeeze. Before the flame in Jihoon’s chest can get any more fierce, Woojin stands up front he couch and heads for the bathroom, leaving the raven haired boy alone.

 

 

“I’ll be right back.” Jihoon informs his two friends and before he knows it his legs are taking him towards the couch and Hyungseob. He hears a quiet “ _Jihoon don’t_ ” from behind him (probably Jinyoung, he thinks) but Jihoon is too intoxicated to care.

 

 

“Oh hi. Jihoon, right?” the boy on the couch asks as Jihoon sits near him on the couch and Jihoon gives him a small nod.

 

 

“Hey, you’re Hyungseop, right?”

 

 

“Yup that’s me.” the boy smiles shyly as he plays with the sleeves of his hoodie.

 

 

“So, you’re catching up with Woojin?” the tone Jihoon has while asking is maybe a little too cocky but Jihoon really doesn’t care at this point.

 

 

“Uh yeah. Haven’t seen him in a while.”

 

 

“I see.” Jihoon takes another sip from the now slightly squeezed beer can.

 

 

“Listen, uh, I don’t know if this is weird but since you’re Woojin’s friend I was wondering if you knew if Woojin is seeing someone right now.” Jihoon is taken aback by the boy’s question and he feels a drop of beer getting caught in his throat. Jihoon can feel his ears getting red from frustration, or was it anger? He wasn’t really sure but what he was sure about was that he hated Hyungseop asking that.

 

 

“He is.” Jihoon says even though he isn’t.

 

 

“Oh really? W-who?”

 

 

The _“Jihoon don’t”_ Jinyoung had said before Jihoon walked over to the couch was playing on full volume in Jihoon’s head but Jihoon takes another sip of his beer and his roommates voice goes away.

 

 

“Me.”

 

 

“Oh.” the raven haired boy looks surprised and to be honest, Jihoon is surprised at himself too. He really didn’t mean to say it, but he couldn’t help it. And after all was it completely a lie? The whole school thought they were dating so what was wrong with Hyungseop thinking so too.

 

 

“I-is it bothering you that me and Woojin have been talking the whole night?” Hyungseop dares to ask after a minute of complete silence.

 

 

“It is actually.” Jihoon hates himself for saying that but he isn’t lying this time. It _is_ actually bothering him.

 

 

“O-oh. I’m sorry.” Hyungseop mutters and Jihoon sees Woojin walking from the bathroom with the side of his eye and he takes that as his cue to leave.

 

 

“It was nice talking with you Hyungseop.” Jihoon says as he waddles slightly towards his two friends who were waiting for him.

 

 

“What did you do?” Jinyoung questions him as soon as he’s back at standing next to his roommate.

 

 

“Nothing. Just had a little chat.”

 

 

“Then why is Hyungseop walking away?” Jinyoung points at the couch and Jihoon turns around to see Hyungseop and Woojin talking before Hyungseop starts walking away.

 

 

“How should I know.” Jihoon lies as he leans on the counter. Jihoon knows exactly why Hyungseop might have wanted to leave. And apparently so did Woojin, because it doesn’t take long for Woojin to start walking towards where Jihoon was standing.

 

 

“Jihoon, can I talk with you for a sec.” Jihoon interprets Woojin’s tone and realizes that the other boy is annoyed. 

 

 

_Figures._

 

 

“Sure.” he agrees as he starts waddling after Woojin to the balcony.

 

 

 

“First of all, how many drinks have you had?” Woojin starts questioning Jihoon almost immediately as he closes the door to the balcony after they are outside.

 

 

“That’s none of your concern.” Jihoon sits down a chair thats on the balcony as he breathes in the chilly spring air.

 

 

“Second of all, what did you say to Hyungseop?” Woojin’s tone gets more frustrated and Jihoon glances at the taller one.

 

 

“Nothing.”

 

 

“Oh really? Nothing? Then why did Hyungseop tell me that he doesn’t want to bother _“my boyfriend Jihoon”_   by talking with me?” Woojin is getting louder and Jihoon is too drunk to deal with this right now.

 

 

“I was just joking, I didn’t think he would take it seriously.”

 

 

“Why would you even joke about it though?”

 

 

“I don’t fucking know Woojin, I’m drunk.” Jihoon feels his own frustration growing as he leans on the table next to chair he’s sitting on. They go silent for a while and all Jihoon can hear is the wind and the traffic.

 

 

“Why are you questioning me here anyway? Shouldn’t you go back to Hyungsong or whatever his name is and continue flirting with him.” Jihoon sighs in frustration and Woojin looks back at him with a raised brow.

 

 

“What are you talking about?” 

 

 

“What? Seemed pretty obvious for me that you two were getting along pretty well.”

 

 

“That’s because we are friends.” Woojin can’t understand where all of this is coming from and so can’t Jihoon to be honest. But he can’t help but feel frustrated and angry whenever he thinks about Woojin being close like that with someone else. Jihoon hates how his mind goes to thinking about how Hyungseob and Woojin used to date and how the raven haired boy used to touch and kiss _his_ Woojin.

 

 

“Ex-lovers.” Jihoon corrects the taller one and Woojin lets out a confused but frustrated groan.

 

 

“Why are you acting like this? You’re so strange”

 

 

“Well maybe if someone hadn’t been so obsessed about being friends with me we would have stayed as strangers and then I wouldn’t act like this.” Jihoon hates how honest and straightforward he becomes when he’s drunk and how the words just flow out of his mind before he can even realize what he’s saying.

 

 

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Jihoon glances quickly at Woojin and sees the glimpse of sadness in his eyes and Jihoon feels like a total idiot again.

 

 

“Nothing.” he says in regret as he looks everywhere else but at Woojin.

 

 

“Wait. Are you.. jealous because of Hyungseop?”

 

 

_There it is._

 

 

“And why the hell would I be jealous?”

 

 

“I don’t know, that’s what I’m wondering too.” the strong busan dialect comes out as Woojin raises his tone a little bit and Jihoon knows exactly why he’s jealous, but how could he tell that to Woojin.

 

 

“Just, forget everything and leave me alone Woojin.” Jihoon is a coward and he knows it. He is too scared, too fragile to have this conversation right now. 

 

 

Jihoon can see Woojin still standing there at the balcony door, looking straight at Jihoon but Jihoon can’t look back.

 

 

“Jihoon, what is going on with you? Just tell me if I did something wrong or if-“

 

 

“Woojin, please just go.”

 

 

“No. I don’t know what is going on with you today but I want to help I want to-“

 

 

“You want to help? Then keep your distance from me.” Jihoon snaps and he doesn’t even know why. Perhaps it’s the alcohol or the headache forming in his head, maybe it’s both.

 

 

“Don’t push me away again, stop doing that.” Woojin’s tone is more soft, more gentle this time and Jihoon hates how he feels himself breaking down.

 

 

“This is why we shouldn’t have been friends.” Jihoon doesn’t mean to say it out loud, but he does.

 

 

“Oh so that’s it? That’s what’s making you feel miserable, being friends with me?” Woojin sounds hurt and Jihoon finds the courage to look at Woojin and all he wants to is to Woojin to understand. He wants Woojin to know how he’s feeling and he wants Woojin to know how all of this is not his fault. That it’s Jihoon’s mind that is fucked up and it’s Jihoon and his past that’s making everything complicated. He wants to scream out everything.

 

 

And unfortunately the alcohol in Jihoon’s system allows him to do just that.

 

 

“Yes. Yes it is. And you know why? Because it fucking hurts. It fucking hurts to see you, standing there like that, being the most wonderful person in the whole world, trying to help me even though I am acting like the biggest jerk.” Jihoon is standing up now and the look on Woojin’s face could make Jihoon cry if he wanted to.

 

 

But instead, he continues, 

 

 

“And I fucking hate feeling this way, and it scares me how I can feel this way, but you give me no choice, Woojin.”

 

 

Woojin is just standing there, blinking as Jihoon lets all of his thoughts form into words.

 

 

“Do you know, how it feels to fall for the same person for the third fucking time, knowing it will all just end badly like it always has? Do you have any idea how it feels to feel everything and nothing at the same time? How it feels to have the person you love the most being close to you, but still so far away?”

 

 

Jihoon pauses to breathe and stares into Woojin’s chocolate like eyes. 

 

 

“Do you know how hard it was, to keep myself away from you, when I knew all along how wonderful and complete you make me feel?”

 

 

“Jihoon, I-“

 

 

“You make me feel like I’m going insane. And it hurts.”

 

 

The tears in Jihoon’s eyes have blurred his vision by now and Jihoon can’t even see the boy standing in front of him properly. He can only imagine how confused and baffled the look on Woojin’s face is right now. He knows he shouldn’t have said all those things, and he knows that this if anything has ruined every possibility he ever may have had with Woojin. And Jihoon can’t pretend like he doesn’t care, because he does care. He does care about Woojin and what they become during his third life, but once again it has all just become nothing because Jihoon had ruined it.

 

 

“Please Woojin, just…..it’s better if you have nothing to do with me. It’s better for both of us.” is all what Jihoon manages to say with his shaky voice before he walks past Woojin to leave the balcony. A small part of Jihoon is hurt that Woojin does nothing to stop him but it’s better this way and Jihoon knows it.

 

 

“Jihoon, what have you-“

 

 

“Please take me home.” Jihoon says to his roommate when he walks over to him and it takes Jinyoung only a few seconds to nod and start walking towards the front door with Jihoon tightly next to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon had hoped he wouldn’t remember anything the next morning. He had hoped the alcohol in his system would have made him forget last night and how he ruined everything. But of course, life was never that simple for Jihoon, and he remembered every single word he said.

 

 

“I messed up.” Jihoon says at the kitchen table when Jinyoung pours him a glass of orange juice and hands him an aspirin.

 

 

“I figured.” Jinyoung sighs and send Jihoon a comforting look as he sits on the other side of the table to eat his cereal, “Did you tell him?” Jinyoung asks.

 

 

“Everything. I told everything.” Jihoon groans as he burries his face into his hands, trying to massage the headache away with his palms.

 

 

“Maybe it’s a good thing, I mean maybe Woo-“

 

 

“It’s over Jinyoung. He won’t ever talk to me again.” Jihoon feels empty as he says that, and Jinyoung just looks at him with a comforting frown.

 

 

“Can you stay with me here today? Or do you have plans with Daehwi?” Jihoon asks carefully, because he feels too broken to be left alone.

 

 

“Yeah, I’ll stay with you.” Jinyoung smiles and so does Jihoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weekend goes rather smoothly, without Jihoon needing to avoid Woojin. Mainly because Jihoon spends the whole weekend in his and Jinyoung’s dorm room. Jinyoung brings Jihoon his favourite snacks from seven-eleven and Jihoon genuinely smiles for the first time when Jinyoung and him play games on the PS4. Jihoon thinks that maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. I mean he managed to live pretty nicely even before Woojin came back into his life. Maybe he didn’t need Woojin. Maybe it truly was better for both of them if they didn’t cross paths.

 

 

But all that becomes nonsense at night, when all Jihoon can think about before going to sleep is Woojin, and only Woojin. He wonders what Woojin must have thought at the balcony that night. He thinks about how weirded out he probably was and how Jihoon must have looked like he was insane. And their only kiss comes back into his mind too (not that it ever left his mind), and Jihoon feels his heart aching as he remembers Woojin’s soft lips on his and all the smiles Woojin did around him when they still considered themselves as friends. Jihoon feel’s like the biggest idiot in the world because he threw it all away. And because of what? Only because he was jealous of some ex. 

 

 

“As much as you like laying here in self pity, we really need to go to class.” Jinyoung says on Tuesday morning, after Jihoon had skipped school on Monday.

 

 

Jihoon turns around in his bed and sends his roommate a sad look.

 

 

“At least don’t let him affect your grades.” Jinyoung continues as he throws a pair of jeans on Jihoon’s bed and Jihoon nods slowly as he gets up to get dressed. _Everyone should have a friend like Jinyoung_ , Jihoon thinks as he walks out of the dorm room that morning. He thanks the universe and whoever is in charge of Jihoon’s fate that he met someone as great as Jinyoung.

 

 

 

Jihoon feels alert between classes, when he, Jinyoung and Daehwi walk from class to class. Daehwi doesn’t comment anything about Jihoon and Woojin, which Jihoon is really grateful for. Daehwi doesn’t even mention the boy to Jihoon, and Jihoon is sure it’s because Jinyound had asked him not to. But he’s thankful anyways.

 

 

 

He decides to skip lunch that day, afraid he will see Woojin in the cafeteria.

 

 

_“Don’t push me away again.”_

 

 

Woojin’s words play in Jihoon’s head as he heads towards his dorm room to grab food. And Jihoon really doesn’t want to push Woojin away like this. But he has no choice.

 

 

“Jihoon.” Jihoon’s thoughts are cut off by a familiar voice from in front of him and Jihoon looks up from his phone to see the exact boy that he was just thinking about.

 

 

“Why are you here?” Jihoon asks perhaps too quickly as he tries to walk fast past him to open the door to his room.

 

 

“Figured you would be avoiding me.” Woojin says with a surprisingly calm tone and Jihoon feels shivers go up his back. Jihoon just nods without looking at the other one as he opens the door to his room and all he wants is to go inside and close the door before Woojin can say anything else.

 

 

Unfortunately, Woojin is fast.

 

 

“Can we talk?”

 

 

Jihoon stops in his tracks when Woojin asks it with the warmest, most genuine tone. And Jihoon almost feels bad for not wanting to talk. But it’s for the best.

 

 

“Please.” Woojin pleads him, stopping Jihoon from closing the door.

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

“I just, want to know.” the look in Woojin’s eyes makes Jihoon melt right in the spot and Jihoon knows he won’t be able to stop himself from breaking down again if Woojin doesn’t leave soon.

 

 

“You already know everything. Now please, leave.”

 

 

“Just tell me Jihoon,” Woojin stops his words to put his hand on Jihoon’s shoulder through the big crack of the door and Jihoon closes his eyes to let out a big sigh, “did you mean what you said, or was it all just drunk nonsense?”

 

 

“Do you think, I would be acting like this if it was just the alcohol talking?” Jihoon feels too exhausted to lie anymore and he finally looks up at Woojin’s eyes. He can’t interpret the look on Woojin’s face and it makes him feel even more broken than he already is.

 

 

“Please Woojin, just go.” it’s Jihoon’s turn to plead as he brushes of Woojin’s hand from his shoulder and closes the door. He still hears Woojin standing outside the door after he closes it, and Jihoon really wants to turn the doorknob to open it again.

 

 

But he’s too afraid to do so.

 

 

 

 

\--

 

 

 

Avoiding Woojin comes back into Jihoon’s daily routine after that. He skips school lunch for the rest of the week and the week after that. He starts hanging out with Daehwi less, because he knows how much Daehwi spends time with Woojin. He stops going to Woojin’s dance classes and he even thinks about deleting Woojin’s number. but only because seeing Woojin’s name in his text history is too painful. He wishes forgetting Woojin was easier, but it’s the most difficult thing ever. Because Woojin appears in Jihoon’s thoughts every chance he gets and Jihoon notices how the headaches come back. But not only when he has memoirs from his previous lifes. His head starts hurting the second Woojin comes into his mind and whenever someone mentions his name. And Jihoon has to admit it’s scary, and that he really doesn’t know what to do anymore. He feels like the second Woojin came back into Jihoon’s life, he stuck himself into Jihoon’s mind and won’t leave.

 

 

Jihoon even goes to the local bar one weekend, to maybe find someone to help him forget the other boy. To find some comfort. But the second a stranger from the bar gets a little too close to him, and touches Jihoon’s thigh, Jihoon can feel nothing but pain and his visit to the bar ends quickly with him running away from the bar back into the dorms.

 

 

 

 

It’s maybe the third or fourth week of Jihoon avoiding Woojin, and he has come to the point that he feels absolutely empty. He is thankful for Jinyoung’s attempts of trying to make him feel better, and Jihoon tries his best to assure his roommate that he’s perfectly fine. But he’s sure that Jinyoung knows that he’s everything but fine.

 

 

“I’ll be back around ten.” Jinyoung tells him on a Thursday night when he heads out with Daehwi.

 

 

Jihoon lets out an understanding hum as Jinyoung puts on his shoes.

 

 

“And Jihoon, I know you don’t want to hear this but-“

 

 

“Then don’t say it.”

 

 

“Jihoon. Please, just, talk with him. It’s been a month.” Jinyoung’s tone is sad and Jihoon knows how depressing it might be to see Jihoon acting this way every single day.

 

 

Jihoon doesn’t say anything to that, and Jinyoung sighs deeply before walking out of the dorm.

 

 

Jihoon turns around in his bed to face the wall as the boy with the snaggletooth comes into his mind again. He uses every bit of his strength to think about something else as he closes his eyes.

 

 

He hears the door open maybe ten minutes later and he turns around to ask his roommate what he forgot. But instead his eyes meet someone else.

 

 

“Jihoon.” he starts carefully and Jihoon can’t even remember the last time he had seen Woojin’s face. Perhaps it was when he stood in front of Jihoon’s door, Jihoon wasn’t sure though. He also has no idea how he got in. Perhaps this was some sort of a plan made by Jinyoung and Daehwi. Jihoon wouldn't be surprised if it was. All the feelings that Jihoon had crammed inside him for the past month feel like exploding any minute, and Jihoon stands up from his bed to run away from Woojin again. He knows it’s a coward thing to do, but he can’t help it.

 

 

 

“Please just listen to me, Jihoon.” Woojin grabs Jihoon’s hand lightly as Jihoon tries to walk past him and Jihoon lets out a shaky breath before taking Woojin’s hand away from his.

 

 

“For the love of god Woojin, can we not do this.” Jihoon is sure he sounds pathetic, sad and stupid all at the same time and the look on Woojin’s face feels like it could break Jihoon’s heart.

 

 

“Just listen to me, for fuck sake.” Woojin raises his tone a bit and Jihoon flinches at the sound of it. 

 

 

“I-I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” Jihoon can already feel the tears forming in his eyes as he starts walking away from Woojin, towards the door.

 

 

“I saw him!” he hears Woojin almost scream behind him and Jihoon stops in his tracks.

 

 

“I saw the face of the boy in my dreams Jihoon.” Jihoon is pretty sure Woojin is close to breaking down as well, judging by the sound of his voice and Jihoon is shaking. From fear, from confusion, from everything.

 

 

For whatever reason, Jihoon’s finds a teeny tiny bit of courage inside of him and turns around to look at the other’s face.

 

 

“He looks like you,” Woojin’s voice is shaky and he seems, scared, but Jihoon can’t figure out why, “Why does he look like you?”

 

 

_Jihoon can’t do this now._

 

 

“I don’t know, Woojin. I need to go.” 

 

 

“You said you’re scared, you said it hurts, right? Well do you have any idea how it hurts me? How scared I feel?”

 

 

Jihoon hates how sad and broken Woojin sounds and how genuine the look on his face is.

 

 

“Heck, Jihoon. I’ve been seeing the same dream about a boy since I was six and I just found out two nights ago that the boy is you. Do you have any idea how scared I am?” 

 

 

Jihoon really hates himself. He hates how selfish he had been all this time and how he had not even thought about Woojin’s feelings. He hates himself so much he can’t even describe it.

 

 

“And do you really think, all this time, I was so desperate to get to know you, so I could be just friends with you? For fuck sake, Jihoon I am in love with you. I have been the whole damn time.” Woojin is yelling at this point and Jihoon can see the tears in his eyes.

 

 

“And yes, it was scary for me too, how from the moment I first saw you, everything just felt right. I couldn’t explain it, I still can’t, how I always felt like I’ve have known you for my whole life.”

 

 

“Woojin, I’m-“

 

 

“Oh and the kiss? Yeah, not just a plan to make Taehyun leave you alone. And I’m sure it meant something for you too.”

 

 

Jihoon can’t help but smile a bit at what Woojin says and he feels like it’s the first time in weeks that he has smiled that genuinely. Jihoon wipes the tears with the sleeve of his hoodie as he looks at the ground, too shy to look at the boy in front of him.

 

 

“I don’t know how it is for you, but for me, it hurts more being away from you,” Jihoon doesn’t even realize when Woojin had walked up to him because he’s standing right in front of him and Jihoon feels even shakier,”so please, stop pushing me away.”

 

 

“Woojin, I’m so sorry I really am, I was too scared of everything, I still am.” Jihoon wants to sound strong but his voice cracks and shakes as he mumbles all the things crammed in his head, but he looks up at Woojin and sees the smile. _The smile_ that looks like it could heal anything in the world, and for Jihoon, it truly does.

 

 

“It’s okay.” Woojin’s tone is calmer and softer and Jihoon feels his cheeks heat up as Woojin places his hand on his cheek, wiping the tears.

 

 

“Gosh, I’m such an idiot.” Jihoon chuckles as Woojin brushes Jihoon’s hair off of his face.

 

 

“True, but I think we both are.” it’s Woojin’s turn to chuckle and Jihoon plays with the sleeves of his hoodie as he looks at the floor.

 

 

“Now that we have both acknowledged the fact that I’m very much in love with you, can I please kiss you?” Jihoon is pretty sure his whole face has turned red right now as he finally looks up at Woojin with a smile.

 

 

“Yes, please.”

 

 

Woojin doesn’t waste a second as he crashes his lips into Jihoon’s as he cups his face and Jihoon can’t help but smile into the kiss. Everything feels so warm, so right, and Jihoon can feel Woojin smile into the kiss too. The kiss is long, passionate and they let out all of their true feelings into it. Jihoon wraps his arms around Woojin’s neck as they deepen the kiss and Jihoon giggles when Woojin suddenly starts giving soft and sweet pecks all of over Jihoon’s face.

 

 

“I love you.” Jihoon says out loud as Woojin pecks his cheek.

 

 

“I know.”

 

 

“And I’m sorry how jealous I acted because of Hyungseop.”

 

 

“It’s fine. I was jealous of Taehyun too.” Woojin smiles as he gives one last peck on Jihoon’s nose and Jihoon feels so happy he could explode.

 

 

“I love you.” Jihoon says again and Woojin laughs.

 

 

“I know, you said that already.”

 

 

“Yeah, but I just like saying it.” Jihoon smiles at the snaggletooth that’s peaking out of Woojin’s mouth as he kisses Woojin softly one more time.

 

 

“Who knew you would be this cheesy.” Woojin chuckles after they break the kiss as he ruffles Jihoon’s head with his free hand, the other hand being on Jihoon’s lower back.

 

 

“I’m not cheesy.” Jihoon pouts and Woojin’s pokes Jihoon’s cheek.

 

 

“Whatever you say.” Woojin smiles as he pecks Jihoon’s lips one more time.

 

 

 

 

 

\--

 

 

Jihoon can’t remember if he had ever been this happy in his life. Sure, having a good childhood, going to a good university made him happy, but it was nothing compared to how Woojin made him feel. All the evenings cuddled up together on the couch, all the kisses and all the things Woojin did and said made Jihoon feel extreme happiness and he was sure the reason his cheeks hurt at the end of the day, was because of Woojin.

 

 

 

It took maybe a month for Jihoon to tell Woojin about the fact he remembered his previous lives, and to his surprise Woojin understood him perfectly.

 

 

“Wait, so you don’t think I’m crazy?”

 

 

“Nah. It all makes sense. Why else would I see you in my dreams for over ten years and why else would I feel like I’ve always known you.” Woojin had reassured him as he laid next to him on the bed, their legs all tangled up, “Was I nice though? Like in my previous lifes?”

 

 

“At first, you were a jerk, but that was just because you didn’t know how else to show interest in me.” Jihoon explained as he played with Woojin’s hands.

 

 

“But after that? Was I nice?”

 

 

“Yeah, you would always be super sweet and caring, and you would always made me feel safe.”

 

 

“That’s good.” Woojin smiled to Jihoon, giving him a quick peck on the lips, “How did you call me then?”

 

 

“Your majesty when other people were around, and just Woojin when we were alone.”

 

 

“Hmm.” Woojin hums, brushing Jihoon’s hair with his fingers,”kinda like the sound of ‘your majesty’.”

 

 

“Well, I am not calling you that, so keep dreaming.” Jihoon laughed as he poked Woojin’s cheek.

 

 

“Oh I am, dreaming I mean.”

 

 

“What, you’re still seeing the dreams of me?”

 

 

“Well yeah you still appear in my dreams but they are uh, slightly different.” Jihoon notes how Woojin’s face goes red and Jihoon gulps hard, knowing exactly what Woojin means.

 

 

“Oh.”

 

 

“Yeah.” Woojin clears his throat as he turns his head to look at the other side of the room and Jihoon laughs quietly at the now very embarrassed boy laying next to him.

 

 

“Do I perhaps do this in your dreams?” Jihoon feels brave and confident as he turns Woojin’s head to face him with his hand and presses his lips on Woojin’s, sucking on his lower lip slightly.

 

 

“M-maybe.” Woojin stumbles in his words as Jihoon breaks the kiss to kiss the side of Woojin’s jaw.

 

 

“Or this?” Jihoon climbs on Woojin’s lap and sees the glimpse of panic in Woojin’s eyes.

 

 

“Jesus christ Jihoon, Jinyoung is in the bathroom right now.”

 

 

“Oh please, do you know how many times I have caught him and Daehwi making out on while I was in the room? He can handle it.” Jihoon says as he proceeds to kiss Woojin’s jaw and the side of his mouth.

 

 

“First of all, I heard that, second of all you caught me and Daehwi only TWICE.” Jinyoung’s voice from the bathroom door cuts off Jihoon and Jihoon sits up on Woojin’s lap to look at his roommate.

 

 

“Twice? Please, I literally caught you two just yesterday.”

 

 

“Whatever, I don’t have time for this, I’m leaving.” Jinyoung sighs as he takes his phone and leaves the dorm room.

 

 

“Finally.” Woojin says quietly and Jihoon look at the boy under him with a raised brow.

 

 

“What? You thought I was being shy? I was just waiting for him to leave.” the glimpse in Woojin’s eyes changes as he flips them around so that Woojin is the one laying on top of Jihoon.

 

 

“Wow, look at you. I might call you majesty after all.” Jihoon giggles as Woojin starts kissing Jihoon’s neck.

 

 

 

 

 

\--

 

 

 

 

At some point, the other students start calling Jihoon and Woojin ‘the Park duo’. Woojin doesn’t mind, but Jihoon isn’t sure if he likes the nickname at all.

 

 

“Why can’t we be called something cute, like ‘the cute campus couple’ or something like that.” Jihoon pouts at lunch as he takes a sip of his juice.

 

 

“That’s because me and Jinyoung are the cute campus couple. There can only be one.” Daehwi points out as he bites on his sandwich and Jihoon sticks his tongue out at him.

 

 

“Me and Woojinie are way cuter though.” Jihoon blurts out as he finishes his juice.

 

 

“I literally heard you call Woojin ‘your majesty’ yesterday accidentally at lunch, and judging by the panicked expression Woojin had, that wasn’t the first time. And that’s way too kinky and gross to be considered cute.” Jinyoung laughs and Woojin and Jihoon’s faces turn bright red.

 

 

“Well great, now I lost my appetite.” Daehwi puts down his sandwich as he crosses his arms and Jihoon clears his throat and decides it’s the best to change the subject.

 

 

 

 

\--

 

 

 

 

Time seems to go by fast, because before Jihoon realises it, they are already graduating and Jihoon feels scared but happy at the same time. He acts like the fact that Woojin got a good job offer as a choreographer doesn’t bother him, because he genuinely is happy for him. But Woojin has to move to 30 minutes away from Seoul and even though it isn’t much, Jihoon hates even the thought of not being to able to see Woojin every day.

 

 

“Why don’t you just move with me?” Woojin asks one day and Jihoon nearly drops the spatula he’s cooking with.

 

 

“I looked it up and there are some good theatre schools near my work.” Jihoon feels Woojin’s arms around his waist as he lays his head on Jihoon’s shoulder.

 

 

“D-do you really mean that?”

 

 

“Of course. Did you think you are the only one who hates being away from each other?” Woojin turns his head to face Jihoon as he flashes him the warmest smile.

 

 

“Okay. Let’s move in together.” Jihoon says with a smile and Woojin pecks Jihoon’s lips with a smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucky for Jihoon, he finds some good theatre courses he can attend near his and Woojin’s place. Woojin dropping him off at the theatre and pecking him on the lips before saying “have a good day, babe.” becomes a routine and Jihoon loves it. He loves how simply beautiful his life turned out this time and how happy he feels. Sure, it isn’t all great, because all couples have fights and when he and Woojin have their first fight, Jihoon feels horrible and hurt but he tries his best not to stay angry or petty, because after all, Jihoon’s knows better than anyone else how short life actually is.

 

 

“I’m sorry, I’m a jerk.” Jihoon wrap his arms around Woojin as he lays next to Woojin on their shared bed and how can Woojin stay mad when Jihoon is looking at him with his sparkly eyes like that.

 

 

“I was just frustrated because you are so busy and I just miss you a lot.” Jihoon whispers in the quiet apartment as Woojin cups Jihoon’s face.

 

 

“I know, I miss you too.” Woojin presses his lips on Jihoon’s and kisses him softly. Jihoon can only smile into the kiss as Woojin strokes Jihoon’s cheek softly while kissing him and Jihoon knows they will be alright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing Jihoon hates the most is when Woojin cries. Jihoon hates when Woojin breaks down in front of him and how small and fragile he looks as he sobs into Jihoon’s arms. He always feels like it’s his fault, so Jihoon tries everything to make him feel better, to make him stop crying, to make him not feel sad.

 

 

“I hate it. I hate it so much.” Woojin sobs into Jihoon’s arms on his 35th birthday and all Jihoon can do is rub his back and press soft kisses in his hair.

 

 

“Woojin, it’s okay.”

 

 

“No, It’s not okay. I want to remember you like you remember me. I want to see you in my next life and recognize you immediately, hug you, kiss you, make sure we don’t waste time.”

 

 

“I’ll make sure we don’t waste time. I’ll make sure I don’t push myself away from you again. We will always find our way to each other.” Jihoon can feel the tears forming in his eyes as well as he looks at Woojin’s sad eyes and how he sniffles and wipes his tears with the sweater that Jihoon had bought him for his birthday.

 

 

“Do you promise?”

 

 

“I promise.” Jihoon flashes Woojin a warm smile as he wipes the tears with his thumb and peck Woojin’s forehead softly. Woojin smiles as Jihoon’s lips touch his forehead and then kisses him, hard, their teeth clashing into each other’s.

 

 

“I love you, so much.” Woojin says against Jihoon’s lips.

 

 

“I know.” Jihoon says back as he breaks the kiss to peck Woojin’s face all over.

 

 

“Now please, can we eat the cake? I worked really hard on it.” Jihoon laughs slightly and Woojin smiles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jihoon had stopped thinking this whole thing of him remembering his previous life’s was a curse a long time ago. Because now Jihoon knew, that he shouldn’t be afraid. He shouldn’t be afraid of meeting Woojin again. There’s no reason to be afraid after how everything worked out during his third life.

 

 

 

 

So even after Jihoon’s third life ends, he waits for Woojin to appear. He knows he will.

 

 

And he’s right. Because when Jihoon sits and waits for his tinder date on a Friday evening during his fourth life he can’t stop smiling when his eyes meet Woojin’s.

 

 

“Hi! Park Jihoon, right?” the boy says with a smile and Jihoon smiles back while nodding.

 

 

“Hey, and yeah! Park Woojin, right?” 

 

 

“Yup that’s me.” he says as he sits on the chair across from Jihoon. 

 

 

“You look familiar, have we met before? I mean like before we matched on Tinder.” Woojin laughs awkwardly and Jihoon smiles.

 

 

“I don’t think so, but you never know.” Jihoon grins and Woojin nods with smile.

 

 

“Well, you look way better in real life. I mean not that you look bad in your pics it’s just uhh.” Jihoon laughs at the nervous boy in front of him and Woojin tries to laugh too.

 

 

“Sorry, I’m nervous.”

 

 

“It’s fine. Oh, and you look good too.” Jihoon offers Woojin another smile and Woojin smiles back.

 

 

 

 

And with that, Jihoon truly realizes that perhaps he and Woojin are meant to be after all.

 

 

 

 

_fin._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is! finally, the last chapter! this took so long to write and thats why its so long agdhadha also I'm sorry if it's too rushed?? like the things happening and all that.. I hope u guys like it tho!!
> 
> I won't be gone forever don't worry, I will continue writing 2park one shots and stuff like that :D u can leave au ideas or something in my cc > curiouscat.me/970416
> 
> u can also find me on twitter where i scream about 2park > @gemini_cokr 
> 
> also, send me some feedback on the last chap at the fic overall! :-)


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